Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. Romans 16:7
One of the goals of this Under the Radar series has been to highlight some lesser-known characters who appear throughout Scripture and to examine what we can learn from their stories. Some of these characters have had multiple chapters devoted to them, like Gideon, others, like Junia, appear only briefly. Junia is only mentioned in this one verse, Romans 16:7. Yet she, and the others mentioned in Romans 16 are mentioned for a reason!
Behind each name mentioned in this chapter is a story. Phoebe is a deacon of a church and a “benefactor of many people” (vv. 1-2). Priscilla and Aquila are Paul’s co-workers in Christ and risked their lives for him as well as leading a house church (vv. 3-5). Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis have all worked hard in the Lord (v. 12). And Andronicus and Junia are outstanding among the apostles. They may not be the flashiest biblical characters out there, but their faithfulness, dedication, and service to the Kingdom is something we can all learn from.
Today, honor someone you know who is under the radar. Send a note to someone who is doing ministry behind the scenes and maybe doesn’t get recognized or encouraged all that often. Thank them for their ministry and the difference they are making.
By Jessica Rust
