I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus. —1 Corinthians 1:4
People matter to God. And they should matter to us. It’s important to take time to recognize and express appreciation for the contributions that even little-known people make to His kingdom and to our lives.
The apostle Paul was thankful for others— especially for brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow servants, ministry partners. In his correspondence, he didn’t just settle for generalized expressions of gratitude—he often took time to identify specific individuals for whom he was grateful and to let them know how much he appreciated their contribution to his life and ministry.
The most extensive such list is found in Romans 16:1–16. Most of the names represent people about whom we know little or nothing. From a human perspective, none of them attained to the “importance” that Paul had as an apostle, but Paul saw them as provisions of God’s grace. He knew no one is self-sufficient—we need each other, and our lives are enriched and blessed by other like-hearted believers.
Make it Personal
Have you ever thanked those who have been a blessing in your life for their godly influence? If not, do it today!