“…be steadfast, immovable… knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)

Some of the most important moments in history never made the headlines. They happened in dimly lit homes, on unremarkable roads, and in quiet, everyday decisions — moments when ordinary people chose faithfulness over fear, obedience over ease. The world may have passed them by, but heaven took notice.

The Bible is full of these hidden heroes. They aren’t the ones parting seas, toppling giants, or preaching to thousands. Instead, they pray in unseen places, carry encouragement across dangerous miles, or take courageous stands when no one else will. Their names weren’t etched on monuments, but without them God’s story would have glaring gaps.

That’s the paradox of the kingdom — that some of the greatest legacies are built far from the spotlight. It’s a truth we often forget in a world that measures influence by applause and reach. Yet in God’s economy, a whispered prayer can shake nations, a faithful delivery can preserve the gospel, and a single act of quiet courage can alter the future.

Today, we’ll look at four such servants: Epaphras, Tychicus, Shiphrah, and Puah. They didn’t chase recognition, yet their obedience left a mark on eternity. Their lives remind us that unseen doesn’t mean unimportant — and that God often writes His most powerful chapters through people the world overlooks.

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Epaphras: The Church Planter Who Prayed

When Paul greeted the believers in Colossae, he didn’t introduce himself as their founder. Instead, he pointed to another man — Epaphras. Paul calls him “our beloved fellow servant” and “a faithful minister of Christ” (Colossians 1:7), a description that speaks volumes in just a few words.

Epaphras was likely a native of Colossae, a smaller city in the Lycus Valley overshadowed by the more prosperous Laodicea. Most scholars believe he came to faith through Paul’s ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10) and then returned home with the gospel burning in his heart. Without waiting for Paul to come, he began proclaiming Christ — planting the church in Colossae and possibly also in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

His very name hints at his background. “Epaphras” is a shortened form of Epaphroditus, meaning “devoted to Aphrodite,” a pagan name common in the Greco-Roman world. His Greek name suggests a Gentile background — a man who had turned from idol worship to serve the living God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

But Epaphras wasn’t just an evangelist. Paul writes that he was “always struggling” in prayer for the believers (Colossians 4:12). The Greek word for “struggling” (agonizomai) pictures an athlete straining every muscle toward the finish line. Prayer, for Epaphras, was not a quick sentence before a meal — it was spiritual labor. His petitions were specific: that his people “may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” He prayed not just for their survival, but for their spiritual stability and maturity.

Epaphras’s commitment went beyond prayer and preaching — it cost him his freedom. Paul mentions in Philemon 1:23 that Epaphras was a “fellow prisoner” in Christ. While the details aren’t given, it’s clear he was willing to suffer to see the gospel advance.

In the eyes of Rome, Epaphras may have been an unremarkable man from an unremarkable city. But in the kingdom of God, he was a church planter, intercessor, and steadfast partner in ministry — the kind of servant leader who builds foundations that outlast his lifetime.

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Tychicus: The Messenger Who Strengthened the Church

If Epaphras was the church planter rooted in one place, Tychicus was the faithful messenger always on the move. Paul mentions him five times in the New Testament — a rare honor for someone who never penned a letter or preached to thousands. Yet every mention carries the same tone of trust and gratitude.

Tychicus was from the province of Asia, likely from Ephesus or its surrounding region (Acts 20:4). His Greek name means “fortunate,” though his life’s story shows that his true fortune was being counted worthy to serve Christ alongside Paul. He appears in the list of men who accompanied Paul on his journey to deliver a financial gift to the church in Jerusalem — a trip that was both dangerous and politically charged (Acts 20:4). This early detail hints at Paul’s confidence in his integrity.

In the years that followed, Tychicus became Paul’s go-to courier. He carried the letters to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21–22) and the Colossians (Colossians 4:7–8), and possibly Philemon as well. In a time when written communication traveled by foot or ship, couriers had to endure long, hazardous journeys with the constant risk of robbery, shipwreck, or imprisonment. To carry one of Paul’s letters was more than delivering ink on parchment — it meant safeguarding the very Word of God for future generations.

But Tychicus wasn’t just a letter carrier; he was a living extension of Paul’s ministry. When he arrived, he didn’t simply hand over a scroll — he explained its contents, answered questions, encouraged the believers, and relayed news about Paul’s condition. His role was pastoral as much as logistical, strengthening the unity of scattered churches by connecting them personally to their apostolic leader.

Paul’s trust went so deep that he occasionally sent Tychicus to fill leadership gaps. In Titus 3:12, Paul writes that he will send either Artemas or Tychicus to Crete so Titus can visit him. In 2 Timothy 4:12, Paul mentions sending Tychicus to Ephesus — possibly to relieve Timothy for a mission elsewhere. These were not small responsibilities; they were proof that Paul considered him spiritually mature, doctrinally sound, and utterly dependable.

Tychicus’s life reminds us that God’s work moves forward not only through those who speak from pulpits, but through those who faithfully carry truth from one heart to another. He may have lived much of his ministry “between the lines” of Scripture, but his legacy is one of trustworthiness, encouragement, and quiet strength that held the early church together.

Shiphrah & Puah: The Midwives Who Feared God More Than Pharaoh

Long before the apostles traveled the Roman world or the prophets stood before kings, two women in Egypt shaped the future of God’s people through an act of quiet, defiant courage. Their names were Shiphrah and Puah — Hebrew midwives living under the shadow of one of the harshest regimes in Israel’s history (Exodus 1:15–21).

The Israelites had grown so numerous in Egypt that Pharaoh feared they might rise against him. His solution was horrific: order the murder of every Hebrew male newborn. To carry out this atrocity, he summoned Shiphrah and Puah — possibly leaders over a guild of midwives — and commanded them to kill the baby boys at birth.

But these women feared God more than the king. Their loyalty to the Creator outweighed their fear of Egypt’s most powerful ruler. When the moment of decision came, they chose life. Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how they resisted, but their strategy was both courageous and shrewd. When Pharaoh confronted them, they offered a plausible explanation: “Hebrew women are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them” (Exodus 1:19).

In a world where women had little societal power and Pharaoh’s word was law, their defiance was not just an act of compassion — it was a declaration that God’s authority is higher than man’s. This was one of the earliest recorded acts of civil disobedience motivated by faith.

The ripple effects of their choice cannot be overstated. Because Shiphrah and Puah spared Hebrew boys, one of those boys — Moses — would grow up to deliver Israel from bondage. In this way, these two midwives preserved the covenant people and safeguarded the very line through which the Messiah would one day come.

God saw their courage. Scripture records that He “dealt well with the midwives,” blessing them with families of their own (Exodus 1:20–21). Their reward was both immediate and eternal — immediate in the joy of God’s favor, and eternal in their inclusion in the sacred story of redemption.

Shiphrah and Puah remind us that influence is not limited by position, gender, or resources. True influence is born when we fear God above all else, even when obedience comes at great personal cost. Their courage was quiet, but it changed the course of history.

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The Secret Strength of Unseen Servants

Though Epaphras walked the dusty streets of Asia Minor, Tychicus braved the open sea, and Shiphrah and Puah served in the shadow of Egypt’s throne, their lives carry a shared heartbeat. Different eras. Different cultures. Different assignments. Yet all four reveal the same truth: in God’s kingdom, greatness is not tied to visibility, but to faithfulness.

Their choices — whether to pray with persistence, to carry the truth with integrity, or to stand with courage when it could cost everything — have echoed through generations. And while our circumstances may look nothing like theirs, the principles that guided them remain just as relevant for us today.

If you’ve ever served quietly, wondering whether it matters, these stories answer with a resounding yes. From their lives, we can trace three enduring threads — lessons that can shape how we serve, even when no one is watching.

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1. Prayer Is as Powerful as Preaching

When Paul listed his companions in ministry, Epaphras didn’t stand out as a writer, speaker, or miracle worker. What marked him was his prayer life. Paul writes:

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” — Colossians 4:12

The phrase “always struggling” reveals the intensity of his intercession. The Greek word Paul uses, agonizomai, was often associated with the arena — athletes exerting themselves in competition, or soldiers locked in combat. Epaphras approached prayer with that same tenacity, wrestling for the spiritual growth of his people.

Notice also what he prayed for: maturity and assurance. He wasn’t simply asking that life would be easier for the Colossians. He asked that they would grow deeper in Christ, able to discern God’s will and walk in confidence. In a culture full of competing philosophies and religious syncretism, that kind of prayer was crucial.

This wasn’t unique to Epaphras. Scripture consistently elevates prayer as essential to kingdom work. The apostles in Acts 6:4 prioritized “prayer and the ministry of the word,” refusing to separate one from the other. Paul described prayer itself as a weapon of warfare, urging believers to “pray at all times in the Spirit… with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18). Even Jesus withdrew to lonely places to pray before major moments in His ministry (Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35).

Epaphras shows us that intercession is not background work — it is the work. It may never gather a crowd or gain attention, but it strengthens believers, advances the gospel, and shapes lives in ways preaching alone cannot. When you labor in prayer, you step into the same battle Epaphras fought, contending for God’s people until Christ is fully formed in them (cf. Galatians 4:19).

Faithful intercession is kingdom leadership at its core. It may be hidden, but it is never wasted.

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2. Faithfulness Outweighs Fame

If Epaphras reminds us of the power of prayer, Tychicus shows us the quiet strength of dependability. Paul describes him in Colossians 4:7 as “the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” That word faithful (pistos) is key — it means trustworthy, reliable, someone who proves steady over time.

Tychicus’s ministry was not flashy. He wasn’t writing epistles, planting multiple churches, or preaching to crowds. Instead, he carried letters, delivered news, encouraged believers, and stepped in when leadership was needed. Yet Paul entrusted him with some of the most important tasks in the early church: safeguarding the gospel letters and strengthening fragile congregations.

In our modern world, we are conditioned to think significance comes with visibility. But Jesus flips that upside down. He tells us in Luke 16:10, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much.” In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:21), the master’s commendation is not for the servant who became famous, but for the one who was faithful with what was entrusted.

Tychicus embodies this principle. He shows us that God values faithfulness more than fame, reliability more than recognition. Without men like him, the letters of Paul might not have reached their recipients on time, the churches might have grown discouraged, and the unity of the early church might have frayed. His service was vital, even if it wasn’t visible.

For us, the takeaway is simple yet challenging: your consistency matters more than your spotlight. When you keep showing up — teaching that small class, encouraging that one believer, serving behind the scenes — you are doing kingdom work no less than the one in the pulpit. Recognition may come or not, but Christ’s words “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) are promised to every believer who remains steady in what God has assigned.

Faithfulness may not trend, but it always leaves a legacy.

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3. Courage Can Be Quiet but Costly

The story of Shiphrah and Puah reminds us that courage doesn’t always look like standing on a battlefield or speaking before crowds. Sometimes it looks like choosing to obey God in the hidden corners of life — where the risk is high, the audience is small, and the outcome is uncertain.

Exodus records their defining moment:

“But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.” — Exodus 1:17

The text makes their motivation crystal clear: they feared God. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the “fear of the Lord” is not terror but reverence, awe, and submission to God’s authority above all others (Proverbs 9:10). That holy fear emboldened them to stand against Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler of their time.

Their courage wasn’t loud or dramatic. It was quiet — exercised in delivery rooms, in hushed conversations, in simple acts of refusal. But it was also costly. By defying Pharaoh’s direct command, they risked their safety, their positions, and even their lives. Yet their obedience preserved generations of Hebrew children, including Moses, Israel’s deliverer.

This principle is echoed throughout Scripture. Peter and the apostles later declared, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Daniel and his friends stood firm in Babylon, refusing to compromise even at the threat of fire and lions. Jesus Himself taught that those who lose their lives for His sake will truly find them (Matthew 16:25).

The lesson is clear: courage in God’s kingdom isn’t measured by volume or visibility, but by conviction. You may never face a Pharaoh’s decree, but you will face moments when following Christ means standing apart, resisting pressure, or saying “no” when compromise seems easier. In those moments, the question is the same: Whom do you fear more — man or God?

Shiphrah and Puah’s story shows us that even the quietest acts of courage can alter history. And while the cost of obedience may be real, the reward is greater still: God’s favor, His commendation, and the joy of knowing you stood for Him when it mattered most.

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Hidden Roles, Eternal Rewards

Taken together, these stories teach us something the world rarely acknowledges: a life of prayer, faithfulness, and quiet courage leaves a legacy far greater than visibility ever could. Epaphras shows us that prayer is not wasted breath but kingdom work. Tychicus reminds us that God prizes steady obedience more than fleeting recognition. Shiphrah and Puah prove that even small, costly acts of obedience can change the course of history.

These lessons are not abstract ideas — they are patterns for us to follow. They invite us to see our ordinary service through eternal eyes: the prayers you pray, the faithfulness you show, and the courage you exercise may feel hidden now, but they reverberate in ways you cannot measure.

And this is where the hope of the gospel lifts our perspective: nothing done for Christ is ever wasted. Jesus promised, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:4). Paul affirmed, “In the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The world may overlook your contribution, but heaven never does.

So if you’ve been serving quietly — interceding when no one claps, showing up when no one notices, obeying when it costs you something — take heart. You are walking in the footsteps of Epaphras, Tychicus, Shiphrah, and Puah. Your legacy may never be written in headlines, but it is being written in eternity.

Keep praying. Keep showing up. Keep standing firm. What feels hidden now will one day be revealed before the King, and on that day His words will matter more than any platform ever could: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”