This is an important truth we as Christians must realize that is spoken of in the rather popular song called “Nobody” by Casting Crowns, featuring Matthew West. It’s interesting that this issue, in my opinion, happens to be the biggest holdup most Christians have when it comes to living their lives as God has called. We don’t like being nobody because it means we have to give up ourselves, and that’s hard.
But we’re called to do it. Philippians 1:21 says, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Notice that this verse doesn’t say, “To live is Nathaniel, or Jacob, or Elizabeth,” or any other name. It says to live is Christ. While you live, you are to be Christ, not yourself.
And in case that one isn’t enough, here’s another one straight from the mouth of Jesus in Luke 14:25-27, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” The Greek word for “hate” there, miseo, means hate, detest, love less, denounce. If you can’t denounce your own life, then you can’t live as Christ because you’re living for yourself.
This doesn’t mean you can’t value a wife, children, your parents, or your own passions because those are gifts given to you by God, but if you value them more than God, then you’re not doing it right.
That’s why I think the message of “Nobody” is so important. Specifically, I think of these lines:
So let me go down, down, down in history
As another blood-bought faithful member of the family
And if they all forget my name, well, that’s fine with me
I’m living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus.
Your name, your legacy, it’s just not important. It’s not anywhere near as important as the legacy of Christ. Sure, you can leave your name and family legacy to your children, but if you don’t leave them the legacy of Jesus, what does it matter? If they don’t have Jesus, they’re going to Hell. Carrying on whatever human legacy you want to leave behind isn’t even close to the significance of leaving an inheritance that could show them to their eternal salvation.
To become nobody, to give up yourself to follow Christ is the ultimate goal. You want to go down in history as a member of Jesus’s family above all else. And being nobody comes with some really good news.
Have you ever felt called by God to speak to someone or do something? Have you ever been directed down a certain path, but you’ve chickened out because you’re scared, or run away because you didn’t want to do it?
Really think about this. How many times have you allowed your reputation, friendships, or job to keep you from sharing the Gospel? How often do you let your inhibitions stop you from going where God has called you?
The good news about making yourself nobody is that you give plenty of room for God to step in and take care of your fears. You give God room to do great things through you that He won’t do if you’re trying to stop Him every stop of the way because of your fears. Take these next lines:
Moses had stage fright
And David brought a rock to a sword fight
You picked 12 outsiders nobody would’ve chosen
And You changed the world
Moses was afraid of speaking to Pharaoh, but instead of giving into his own fear, he made his own fear nothingness and let God speak through him. Moses was unable, but God was able.
David was a shepherd with no skills but those meant to protect a flock of sheep. He was a boy, not a warrior. But he gave up who he was and God used him to defeat the mightiest Philistine warrior. David the shepherd never could’ve performed such a feat, but David, the nobody directed by God, did this amazing thing.
The 12 disciples were already nobodies, and Jesus picked them up and turned them into somebodies, using them to create a kingdom of nobodies who are somebodies in Jesus. See, our persons get in the way of God because they can fail, they have insecurities. But if we push those aside and keep ourselves from getting in the way of God, He can accomplish wonderful things through us.
So, go to the end of the line with the not-quites, the never-get-it-rights, the nobodies, and let God use you to do amazing things for the kingdom because that’s worth so much more than anything we could ever do alone.