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.
