Faithfulness Without Fame
The Sending of the Twelve
The road bends gently back toward Galilee, worn thin by many feet and many stories.
The sun is higher now than when they first set out days before, warming their shoulders and drawing the scent of dust from the path. Their sandals are scuffed, their cloaks creased from travel. Faces that once carried uncertainty now hold something quieter—and deeper.
They are coming back. Not all together at first.
Two by two, they appear along the road, small figures against the wide land. Some walk quickly, eager. Others slower, thoughtful. But all of them are changed.
James, the son of Alphaeus, walks among them. He says little.
There is a steadiness about him now—a settledness that was not there before. He has seen what obedience looks like beyond the safety of the Teacher’s presence. He has spoken the words Jesus gave them to speak. He has laid his hands where sickness once lingered. He has watched darkness flee at the name of Christ.
The place where Jesus waits comes into view. He is there—just as He said He would be.
As the Twelve gather, their voices rise, overlapping with wonder. The journey spills out of them all at once. The sick were healed. Unclean spirits obeyed. The message was heard. The Kingdom had drawn near in villages and homes, in places they had never been before.
James stands with them, listening.
Scripture does not tell us what he reports, or whether he speaks at all. It does not tell us whose door opened to him, or which village received the news with joy. But it tells us enough.
He went where he was sent. He did what he was told. He returned to Jesus.
Among the Twelve, James the Lesser is there—not singled out, not forgotten. Simply faithful.
Chosen, Not Celebrated
Hi Sojourners! When we think of the twelve apostles, we often think of the more well-known ones—the leaders, the martyrs, the preachers whose words echo through history.
But what about the ones Scripture barely talks about? What about the disciples who followed Jesus faithfully, but quietly?
Today, we’re going to meet James the Lesser—a man chosen by Christ, trusted with the gospel, and largely hidden from view.
And by the end of this story, we may realize his life looks a lot like ours.
Who Was James the Lesser?
I admit, I contemplated whether or not to do an entire episode on a person that is only mentioned by name in Scripture four times and each of those times, his name was just part of a list. We really know very little about James other than that Mark gives him a distinguishing name called James the Lesser or James the Younger.
The word lesser or younger used doesn’t mean “less important.”
It likely means:
- younger in age
- smaller in stature
- or simply less well-known than James the son of Zebedee, often called James the Great.
Another bit of information we’re given about James is that he was the son of Alphaeus. And as I mentioned in my episode on Matthew that Matthew also had a father named Alphaeus so some speculate that he might have been brothers with Matthew, but the Bible never tells us they’re related.
And here’s what’s striking:
James the Lesser never speaks in the Gospels. Not once. No recorded sermons. No bold declarations. No rebukes or questions.
And yet none of that matters because his significance lies in the fact that out of all the men in Israel, Jesus called this James and recorded his name.
The Silence That Teaches Us
The Bible doesn’t tell us everything about James on purpose. It isn’t here to make people look important—it’s here to help us see how wonderful Jesus is.
James the Lesser reminds us that:
- You don’t have to be famous to be faithful.
- You don’t need people to notice your obedience.
- Being important in God’s Kingdom doesn’t mean getting applause.
God recorded exactly what we need to know about James in the Bible—and no more. And this teaches us something important about faithfulness. Faithfulness means doing what is right and keeping our promises, even when no one is watching. God sees everything we do. He notices when we obey, help, or show kindness quietly, even if no one else does.
That means we should obey our parents or teachers not only when they are looking, but also when they are not—because God is always watching. Faithfulness isn’t about being famous or noticed. It’s about pleasing God with our hearts.
James the Lesser shows us that quiet faithfulness matters, and that what God sees in secret is always seen and remembered by Him.
God always sees it.
Why James the Lesser’s Story Matters
James the Lesser matters because his life looks a lot like most of our lives.
Most believers will never be famous. Most Christians will never preach to crowds or write books. Most people who follow Jesus will not have their stories told long after they are gone. But they still walk with Jesus.
They follow Him in quiet ways—by obeying, by trusting, and by doing what is right even when no one is watching.
James the Lesser helps us understand something very important:
God’s Kingdom is not built by people who are loud or well-known. It is built by people who are faithful.
Jesus taught that God sees everything—even the things done in secret. When we obey God quietly, when we choose kindness, truth, or courage without being noticed, God sees it.
Sometimes doing what is right does not bring rewards right away. Sometimes it costs us something. Sometimes no one says thank you.
But Jesus warned us not to do good things just so people will praise us. If we do that, their praise is all we get—and it doesn’t last very long.
Instead, Jesus tells us to remember that even if we don’t have an earthly audience, we always have a heavenly audience.
God is watching with love. God remembers every act of faithfulness. And God promises that what He sees in secret, He will reward.
That reward may not come right now. It may not come in this life at all. But it will come—because God keeps His promises.
James the Lesser may not have been famous. But he was known and chosen by God. His name was listed among Jesus’ disciples and that means his life mattered very much.
Scripture Reflection
Later in Jesus’ ministry, He sent out a larger group of His followers—seventy-two disciples—to tell people about God’s Kingdom. When they came back, they were very excited.
They told Jesus how even the demons listened to them. They were amazed by what they could do in His name.
But Jesus gently stopped them and taught them something even more important. He said:
“But do not be glad when the evil spirits obey you. Instead, be glad that your names are written in heaven.”—Luke 10:20 (NIRV)
Jesus wanted them to understand this:
The greatest joy is not what we can do for God.
The greatest joy is that we belong to God.
James the Lesser lived that kind of joy.
We don’t know the stories James told when he came back. We don’t know what miracles he performed or what villages he visited. Scripture doesn’t tell us.
But we do know this—his name was written in heaven.
That mattered more than being noticed.
That mattered more than being remembered by people.
That mattered more than anything else.
Quiet Steps, Big Impact
After Jesus returned to heaven, the apostles continued His work. Tradition tells us that each apostle chose certain areas of the world to take the good news of Jesus.
James the Lesser is said to have been sent to Syria, a land east of Israel. At that time, many Christians in Jerusalem faced persecution, and one of the safest ways to continue their work was to move east, to places like Damascus, a city in southern Syria.
From there, the gospel began to spread along the great trade routes that connected Jerusalem and Damascus in the west to lands even farther east—into ancient Iraq, and eventually all the way to India, toward what Jesus called “the ends of the earth.”
James may have traveled quietly, without the crowds and attention given to other more prominent apostles, but his work helped plant seeds that lasted for generations. The Kingdom of God was growing in new lands, and James played a part in its expansion—an unseen hero helping the gospel reach far beyond what anyone could see at the time.
One thing to know is that there were three men named James in the New Testament. That often makes people confused about which James did what. Even today, we don’t know all the details of their lives, and sometimes stories about them get mixed up or even added later.
Even though we don’t know all the details of James the Lesser’s life, the Bible shows us that quiet faithfulness can make a big, lasting difference.
Takeaway
James the Lesser shows us what Jesus taught about following Him. Jesus didn’t come to make people famous or to give them riches on earth. He came to show us how to live faithfully, love God, and serve others.
When we follow Jesus, we are called to be faithful servants—not for applause, not for recognition, not for earthly reward—but because God is watching and because He loves us.
James’ quiet faithfulness is a picture of the gospel in action: it reminds us that the most important reward is not on earth, but in heaven. Every time we obey, help, or serve—even when no one notices—we are living the life Jesus calls us to.
In other words, James’ life helps us see the heart of the gospel: it’s not about being famous or wealthy, it’s about being faithful and walking with Jesus, knowing that God sees us and will reward our faithfulness.
This week take some time to think about the things you do when no one is watching. Are you still obedient and faithful when no one is around?
Thank you so much for listening! If James’ story inspired you, share this episode with a friend and encourage them to live a faithful life before God because our God delights to reward those who are faithful.
Also, if you want to dive deeper, you can download a free episode companion guide that includes a mini devotional, fun activities, and other topics related to James. You’ll find the link below in the show notes.
And remember: It’s wonderful to be praised and recognized for doing something good or special. But our greatest happiness comes from knowing that God loves us and has written our names in heaven!
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