It’s hard to be ordinary. Everyone wants to be special. The GOAT (Greatest of All Time). The best. The biggest. The strongest. Fastest. I’ve never seen the bumper-sticker “My Child is an Ordinary Student.” We want to think we’re doing something great. We want to make an impact!
Ordinary is normal, but it’s not to be confused with boring or apathetic. Ordinary people do most of the living, and dying; working and giving. The Bible says, “to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business…” (1 Thes. 4:11). The result of our prayers should be that “we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness” (1 Tim. 2:2). The prayer of the wiseman is “give me neither poverty nor riches” (Prov. 30:8). Being ordinary and middle-class appears to be an answer to prayer. God is seen in the ordinary!
Are you ordinary? Are you an ordinary Christian, with an ordinary job, living in an ordinary house attending an ordinary church? It’s nice to have a spouse or a good friend who insists that you’re better than ordinary. You’re more than that. You’re someone’s first choice. You’re not just background noise. But, that’s ordinary.
Most ministry is ordinary. Week after week. It’s routine. The adrenaline junkies inside many crave excitement and greatness. Watching Jesus chase the “user friendly” moneychangers out of the Temple should keep our focus on worship that’s simply in spirit and in truth. God is seen in the ordinary!
Most preachers are ordinary. I’m not sure if we’re “normal,” but we’re ordinary. I don’t regularly preach to hundreds, let alone tens of thousands. I’ve never written a book. I’ve never been the big name speaker at a college lectureship. I’m not anyone’s first choice to be a keynote speaker. Like most preachers, I do what I can to encourage, counsel and be an example. Weddings and funerals are ordinary. I preach ordinary sermons. Being an ordinary guy sounds humble, even though sometimes I still want to be a big deal. I must remember that God is seen in the ordinary! God uses ordinary!
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