Phoebe has the least said about her of our four ladies, but what is said is the most easy with which to identify. She was a sister in Christ and a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Phoebe, apparently, is the one carrying the letter to the Roman church. At the end, Paul says “I commend to you Phoebe;” all other mention of names in that chapter say, “Greet so and so…” Paul also asks the church in Rome to give her any help she needs because she has helped many other people. One place to start helping her was in her move to Rome.

Jesus said that it is the one who is doing the will of God that is my sister. Paul called Phoebe a sister because she was doing the will of God the same as Paul by serving where she could to help the saints. Paul instructs the Galatians to “not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Gal 6.9,10)

What makes Phoebe an extraordinary woman of God? She quietly went about doing good, helping where there was a need in the family of God. She saw a need and did what she could.

One person in our local church today that comes to mind when I think about Phoebe is a woman named Alice. She quietly comes in once a week to make sure the pockets on the back of our sanctuary chairs are filled with cards and straightened and pens are there. It’s not a glamorous job, or one most people even think of needing to be done, but she is faithful and takes her work seriously. Next time you see Alice, tell her thank for straightening out the cards and filling the pockets. Or when you see cards in the chair in front of you, say a silent prayer thanking God for Alice.

Many of the spiritual gifts are done where no one can see what is done or who is doing it, but every job is important. I heard once that it takes 37 support people for one missionary to go out on the field. We are not all called to be a head or a hand. Think of all the internal organs that are necessary to make a healthy, functioning body. It is the same in the body of Christ.

Henry Blackaby, together with Claude King, in their book Experiencing God, talk about finding God’s will in your life. First of all, you have to ask the right question – not what is God’s will for my life, but what is God’s will? The focus shifts from “my life” to “God’s will.” Then see what God is already doing in the world and see how you might fit in using the gifts God has given you.

All the women I’ve talked about in my last four posts were finding a place in God’s will, serving others. Each one of them had a different field of service – Dorcas ministered to the widows, Lydia to the rich and famous, Priscilla and Aquila to Paul and the church as only a married couple could, and Phoebe, quiet, gentle, unassuming, in whatever task God had for her. They each had an influence on those around them and were using their spiritual gifts naturally. I don’t think they sat down and took a spiritual-gifts test, or pondered about it for a long time. They just did what they could where the need existed.

Read 1 Cor 12:4-7

Read 1 Cor 12:12-14