Monday, August 3, 2015

Ordinary People
By Susan Klein

“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”
Isaiah 53:2b (NIV)

Have you ever felt just plain old “ordinary”? You get up every morning, amble through basically the same routine, and return to bed at night, only to repeat the process the next day. Oh sure, there are the occasional special events like weddings, funerals, vacations, and the like… but for the most part, your life seems fairly ordinary. Do you ever dream of accomplishing something more significant, something more “out-of-the-ordinary”?

Let me introduce you to someone rather ordinary. He grew up in a small town, lived in a modest house and didn’t wear designer clothes. There was nothing significant that would make him stand out in a crowd; no fabulous looks, special athletic abilities or business accomplishments to speak of. He worked as a common laborer with his dad, hung out with common folks, and never made a name for himself by amassing great wealth or entering into politics. He got up early, worked hard all day, and retired at night, only to do it again the next day. He just lived life. Sound familiar?

For the first 30 years of His life, our Lord, Jesus Christ, was an ordinary human being much like the majority of people today. God intended for Him to be that way. Though He posessed the power of God and could perform miracles in His latter years, He still spent much of his time having people look down at His “ordinary-ness.” He once dared to speak publicly in His hometown only to have the neighbors question, “Who does this guy think he is? Isn’t he just Mary and Joseph’s son, you know that carpenter guy? Where does he get these lofty ideas? He’s nobody special.” His disciples were ordinary men, too. He chose them that way. He came to earth to live among the common man. But, in each moment of His ordinary life, He wasted no opportunity to be somebody to someone. He spoke encouragingly. He ministered to those he encountered along the way. He took time out to just “hang” with other ordinary folk. Nothing and no one were insignificant to Him.

How about you? Do you find significance in the people and things God has placed before you? Can you see God at work behind the scenes of each seemingly ordinary day? Do you sense His presence in your boredom as well as your accomplishments? Will you recognize that each moment is a significant moment, and choose to be used by God in your “ordinary-ness”?

GOING DEEPER:
1. How has God used an ordinary experience in your life to do something extraordinary?
2. Are you watching for opportunities?

FURTHER READING:

Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of the Peace Team at Oakwood.