Insignificant

Significant

We all know who Frederick Douglass is.

Born a slave in 1818, he eventually found freedom and lived an incredible life. He married and devoted his career to abolishing slavery's practice and ideals. He not only became a powerful preacher and orator, but also an accomplished author and even advisor to President Lincoln. In short, you could say he was an abolitionist prophet.

That’s not hyperbole.

Insignificant

But this is not about Mr. Douglass. The world readily acknowledges his significance. This is about an insignificant slave he knew for a short time during his adolescence. No books were written about this man. We do not know his family history or that he ever did anything remarkable during his life. The only thing notable about him were the words he spoke to Douglass.

Soon after his own conversion experience, Douglass met this elder gentleman named Lawson. He was a slave as well and could barely read. Douglass was drawn to him and as they spent their Sundays together Douglass would help him read. Together, they read whatever fragments of the Bible they could decipher. In one of his autobiographies, My Bondage and My Freedom, he says, "'I could teach him 'the letter,' but he could teach me 'the spirit[.]'"

What IS remarkable about this unknown and otherwise insignificant slave was his impact on Frederick Douglass. Such was his influence that Douglass called him "Uncle" and even "Father." This man - abused and despised by society - was able to transcend it and give dignity to Douglass. He gave him friendship, kindness, joy, and enlightenment. More than that, he gave him hope and a calling. It was this man, this old slave named Lawson, who prophesied over Douglass, telling him, "The Lord has a great work for [you] to do."

Why would a slave say those words? What would make him speak them, let alone think them? It was 1831, in Baltimore, Maryland. At face value, those words were ridiculous. If not painful they were laughable. Douglass eventually left Baltimore and went on to his next unfortunate installment still a slave. Lawson, for all we know, continued a slave. His life did not change.

His name and legacy are basically unknown. There is little information available about what happened to Lawson after this point, including where he may have been buried. It is possible that he was buried in an unmarked grave or that his final resting place has been lost to history. In a word: insignificant.

But his influence was not insignificant. This man's short opportunity to influence a young slave named Frederick produced something greater than either could have dreamt. He could have ignored the young man, pushing him off, asking him to respect his only day of rest. He could have spoken angry and poisonous words to him. He could have treated him with the same bitterness and dishonor his own life was more than saturated with. He could have cut him down and attacked his ambition to become something other than what they both were: slaves.

But he didn't.

He simply loved and served this young man. He lifted him up and spoke dignity and direction into his life. He was not concerned about notoriety, nor jealous of the intelligence, strength or potential of Douglass. He recognized what Douglass could accomplish and become. Lawson simply was faithful to behave and speak in such a manner that facilitated that possibility.

What’s the Point?

Do not worry about significance or insignificance. Maintain your own dignity so you can give it to others. Only God knows and history will tell what others may do because of your seemingly insignificant efforts. I can't help but think this was Lawson's way of life. I wonder how many other people he spoke words of kindness and faith to. Did they soar to the heights of Frederick Douglass? No. But it doesn't matter. The action is its own reward.

It's not about history books recording our feeble contributions. It's about affirming the dignity of those within our immediate influence; those with whom we have relationship. Encourage and challenge those people who are actually part of your life, even those you happen to cross paths with, to overcome difficulties and believe they can do whatever great work God may have assigned to them.

That's what Lawson did. And the world was never the same.