Minor Characters

 

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). (Mark 15:21-22 ESV).

 

When I first began the writing of The Lone Star: Independence I used common strategies to the writing of fictional works. I began with the basic story. That was the easy part. I wanted to write a historical fiction set in today’s timeframe that would lead Texas to declare Independence and become a sovereign nation again. Now, while that sounds very contemporary, I started writing this book in 2018 and didn’t finish it until 2019 with it being published early in 2020. I also need to determine the characters of the story. As it evolved Texas became a main character itself. There were others as well; however, the most difficult task was determining the minor characters. While the example I’ve attached is not the one I developed, it is the format I used.

 

Thinking about that brought me to today’s devotional thought. Minor characters are vital in the story. In the New Testament we read about Simon Peter, the disciple of Jesus who denied. He played an essential role in the story of Jesus. Today’s reading mentions another “Simon” - Simon of Cyrene. He walked behind Jesus as a disciple carrying his cross. Simon of Cyrene became one of the minor heroes in the story of Christ’s suffering and redemptive work. He was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross.

 

Most of us identify with Simon of Cyrene. I believe it wasn’t an “accident” that he was chosen from the crowd; however, he wasn’t the main character in the story by any stretch. I’m like that. I know God has gifted me for some tasks better than others. And, while none of these tasks would be considered essential, God has chosen me to be essential.

 

It wouldn’t seem like such an important role to play; however, it made all the difference to Simon and others as well. As a result of this encounter Simon later becomes a believer and joins Thaddeus in missionary efforts into North Africa, establishing some of the stronger churches of the time. My point is that there really are no “minor characters” in God’s plan. All of us have a calling that will be essential to the greater story of God’s redemption of the world. Trust His direction and do what you are gifted and directed to do. There is no better position to find yourself than in the center of God’s plan for your life.