Damaris

“But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them” (Acts 17:34, ESV). 

Damaris--who is she? What do we know about her? Just a name, often overlooked on the pages of Scripture. We go on.

Some of us don’t want to be Damarises. We want a cause, something great, we want our names down large. We all want our fifteen minutes of fame at some point. We want to be like Paul with a great ministry (although perhaps without the persecution, shipwrecks, no pillows, etc.) Damaris reminds us that the great kingdom is moved through the little things of eating, drinking, hospitality, conversations, normal life, washing dishes, watching kids. Damaris reminds us the kingdom is like a mustard seed. Do not despise the ordinary! Our great God is a God of the ordinary, for nothing is too small for him to make sacred. It is the nameless Christians who have brought the gospel to the far corners of China, Chile, Chechyna, and Canada.

Yet, others want to be Damarises. The small Christians who can be lost in the crowd, the world, in the comfort of our own lives. But here too God reminds us through Damaris we cannot. For she is part of a greater story, the greater book of Acts. Her role was essential, for she is named individually. While we do not know what she did, her role cannot be missed. We cannot remain in our comfort. We cannot remain on the sidelines. We cannot, cannot--but oh so often do!--remain building our own kingdoms. We are part of his. Our very apathy is building another kingdom, for there are no words that do not put a brick in for light or a brick in for darkness. There are no days off, no moments off. This is our great privilege, our great joy.

Damaris reminds us God sees each individually--each person in each place in each time in each situation. No matter whether your circumstances seem to thwart your kingdom-building or not, if they seem to set you on the sidelines, God sees her, sees us. And uses our little daily fishes and loaves to build his kingdom. You are seen, you are given, you are equipped, you are called--every moment in every moment, whether dishwashing and drying, or discipling and dreams; whether paperwork and purchasing, or preaching and praying and passion.