Because Paul says, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe…” commentators believe Phoebe delivered this letter from Paul in Corinth to the church in Rome. We do not know much about Phoebe except what Paul says here, i.e. that she was from Cenchrea, and that she was a servant of the church there. (v. 1) Paul mentions again in verse 2 that Phoebe “has been a helper of many, and of myself as well.” (v. 2).

I’m just guessing that when Paul was looking for someone to deliver his letter to Rome, Phoebe, being helpful and being a servant, volunteered. When Phoebe volunteered she probably thought it seemed like the right thing to do. Jesus came to serve. Phoebe was helpful. Phoebe was a servant of the church. She was just being obedient to Jesus by offering to deliver the letter.

I’m confident it never occurred to Phoebe that the letter she was delivering to the church in Rome would come to be regarded as one of the greatest religious writings known to man, that it would eventually be recognized by the Church as having been inspired by the Holy Spirit, and that it would be incorporated into the Bible. She could not have known that people would read this letter for the next 2000 years and through it lives would be radically changed. Phoebe probably thought she was just delivering a letter.

People spend their lives striving for greatness, trying to achieve something that people will remember them for after they are gone. Phoebe achieved all that by simply delivering a letter. Such is the way of the kingdom of God. We serve a King with a master plan for the world. He prompts us to share an encouraging word with a stranger, or share the gospel with a friend. We do not see the ripple effect that word will have in that person’s life or one friend’s changed life may have in history. We do not always understand the significance of what He calls us to do; we only know for sure that He calls us to obey. And we know that nothing is insignificant that is done in obedience to King Jesus.