STUFF ABOUT GOD AND CHRISTIANITY | Dr. Ron Braley Godly superstars on the fringe
God created people and does amazing things with and through them — not necessarily the pristine, wealthy or popular, but often the poor, despised and unexpected. Matthew or Zacheus, presumably greedy folk who collected taxes for the Romans, may come to mind. This article isn’t about them. Instead, I want to introduce you to God’s superstars on the fringe who weren’t Hebrew or Israelite but pagans, some harlots and warmongers. Yet, God used them to draw creation back to himself.
Let’s take a look at a few, starting with Job.
Job: This righteous man, perhaps an Edomite, lived about 2,000 BCE.
He honored God with all he had and did. And God found favor in him as a result: “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the Earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’” (Job 1:8). God presents him as an incredible model of perseverance and reverence.
Melchizedek: This pagan king of Salem reigned about 2,000 BCE in the days of Abraham.
Despite not being in the lineage of Abraham to Jesus (and not from the Jewish priestly line), he was considered a “priest of God Most High” (Genesis 14:18). You can read all about him and Jesus’ comparison to him in Hebrews chapters 5-7 (FYI: Melchizedek was a real king/priest, not Jesus pre-incarnate!).
Tamar: This stubborn Aramean Gentile lived in the House of Judah about 1,600 BCE. When she was betrayed by the king, she pretended to be a prostitute so he’d sleep with her and produce an heir.
Pushing for her rights in this way proved her loyalty to Judah and earned her a place in Jesus’ lineage.
Rahab: This Canaanite prostitute lived in Jericho circa 1,400 BCE.
Regardless of her occupation, her faithfulness earned her a place in biblical history when she hid and protected Israelite spies. Her works by faith also earned her a place in Jesus’ lineage: she was King David’s great-greatgrandmother. Ruth: This Moabite woman from 1,300 BCE was King David’s greatgrandmother. She was an incredibly loyal and kind woman who stayed by her widowed motherin- law, helping her return to Israel, where Ruth became part of Jesus’ lineage.
Cornelius: Our final godly “superstar on the fringe” is Cornelius, a Roman centurion from the Italian Cohort who lived around 30 CE. His claim to fame? This pagan soldier prayed to the one true God and then obediently summoned Peter, who preached the good news of God’s Kingdom to him and his family.
Cornelius is likely the first converted Gentile.
Summary: God will have his way — sometimes through the least of us, those on the fringe of society or culture. Next time, we’ll examine what it looks like “When Love Runs Cold.” Meanwhile, remember God can use you even if you might be “on the fringe.”
God’s blessings and peace.
Braley, a Taylor minister, Air Force veteran, husband and father, earned a Master of Divinity degree from Regent University in 2018 and a Doctor of Ministry from the same school in 2021.
