The People You Need (Reading Romans 16)

Romans 16 appears to be just another list of awkward Bible names; the kind of list you read at scan speed. Yet take a moment, slow the pace, if it helps drop the names and list the roles.

Servant of the church
Protector of many
Fellow workers in Christ Jesus who risked their necks for my life
One who has worked hard for you
My kinsmen and fellow prisoners
My beloved in the Lord
Our fellow worker in Christ
Workers in the Lord
One who has worked hard in the Lord
One who has been a mother to me
One who is host to me and to the whole church

In order to be effective we are in desperate need of people. We need a broad range of people. We need those who serve in general and we need those who become like mothers to us. We need those who enter the journey during the lowest moments of our life and we need those who will fight for our lives. We need hard workers and we need hosts.

It is not good for man to be alone. You and I need people. You and I need to be people for other people.