“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
Most of us live quite ordinary lives. We spend our days in ordinary places, with ordinary people, doing ordinary things. Very few of us will be more than a footnote in history.
But whether you are an ordinary businessman, or an ordinary mom raising ordinary kids, or an ordinary student writing ordinary papers… whatever sort of ordinary you live the glory of God awaits to do extraordinary things through you as His handiwork.
God has a way of taking our ordinary mundane existence, by His grace, using us to make an extraordinary impact for His Gospel mission.
When you’re tempted to feel insignificant or that your life is not amounting to much, do not fall for the schemes of the evil one who whispers deceits in your ear.
Instead, look to the New Testament. Its’ pages contain countless compelling narratives of how God takes ordinary people and uses them for extraordinary works. These stories are not just tales from a distant past; they are powerful reminders that God’s mission doesn’t require grandeur and greatness. In fact, He tends to favor the opposite. With humility, discipline and faith, anyone and everyone can be used by Him. So, if you feel ordinary, you’re in the perfect posture for an extraordinary life of impact!
Jesus came into our world through an ordinary teenage mom and ordinary callused hand carpenter father. He enlisted ordinary men and women as His first disciples. He took them to ordinary places to share His love with other ordinary people.
Fishermen Turned Teachers
Peter and Andrew were everyday fishermen, preoccupied with casting their nets in the Sea of Galilee to earn a meager wage. Their days were simple, but Jesus’ calling on them was anything but. When Jesus invited them with His words, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), they left their nets behind, stepping boldly into a destiny that would change the world. It took immense courage and faith to abandon their livelihood and way of life, yet they did so without dithering. Peter, known for his impulsive and outspoken demeanor, would become the steadfast “rock upon which the church was built.”
Andrew, known for his humility, played a pivotal role in bringing others to Jesus. Their transformation from ordinary fishermen into key leaders in Jesus’ disciple making movement exemplifies the incredible potential lying dormant in each of us. God doesn’t require greatness in His followers; He seeks willing hearts ready to embrace His calling to “come and see”, “follow Him”, “become fishers of men”, and “bear much fruit.”
Tax Collector Turned Gospel Writer
Matthew, once steeped in the detestable profession of tax collector, lived under a heavy cloak of societal contemptuousness. Seen as a traitor of the people, he was the epitome of an ordinary man, seemingly lost in a ocean of irredeemable past choices and regrets. But then, in a transformative moment, Jesus called him out. With two words the transition began, “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9), and Matthew’s life took a radical turn. This was no simple calling; it was a powerful redemption of purpose attached to his new identity in Jesus. From following the way of the world and serving Caesar and himself, to a new way of living and a new set of priorities Matthew’s life was changed forever.
From a reviled tax collector to a revered apostle, Matthew’s journey exemplifies the power of Jesus’ work of redemption. His newfound purpose didn’t just change him; it echoed through the ages as he penned the Gospel that bears his name. Matthew’s story is a poignant reminder that your past mistakes don’t define your future. With faith, an open heart, and a little Spirit filled discipline, anyone can embrace extraordinary life. In the hands of God, the most ordinary person can become an instrument of profound change, rewriting not just their own story, but the narrative of countless others. Such are the stories of each of the original twelve.
Outcast Turned Missionary
I remember my first time in Sychar at Jacob’s Well, where Jesus transformed a Samaritan woman and her village. Their meeting at the well is stunningly plain yet profoundly transformational. Picture the encounter: a woman, in the heat of the noontime sun meeting the Savior of the world. With the heavy burdens of her tainted past and the shunning of her village, she meets Jesus on a “chance” encounter in her routine of fetching water.
In these moments, she moves from a life as a commodity drunk by men isolated from true love, to a life of purpose, truth and belonging. Once a reject and now an agent of God, she dashes back to her village, declaring, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). Her story releases a sweep of faith in the countryside, once more proving that God loves to use the ordinary to spark extraordinary works. Her story should remind us all in our insecurities and regrets, that God loves using the broken outcasts and disappointments for His divine purposes.
Many Others
And what about the boy who gave his five loaves and two fish? His modest sack lunch is used by Jesus to feed the 5,000, reminding us that no gift is too small when placed in God’s hand (John 6:9). And consider Lydia, a businesswoman whose open heart and home became a pivotal base operations for Paul and the early believers of Philippi (Acts 16:14-15). Then there’s Ananias, a disciple in Damascus, who, despite fear, obeyed God’s call to heal and baptize Saul (Acts 9:10-18).
Your daily acts of kindness, hospitality, and obedience to God’s call can be seeds for later multiplication. If God can work through a tax collector, fishermen pharisee, persecutor of the church and others, then He can work through you. Don’t miss the ordinary moments where God wants to do extraordinary things in and through you. When we align with Jesus’ divine mission, He can transcend the ordinary and touch lives in ways we might never imagine. Keep your eyes open and watch for His work. Be relentless in your faith and you can make a remarkable difference.
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.” Acts 4:13,14 NIV
Questions to Reflect
- Is God calling you to think differently about your life and calling?
- Could God be prompting you to reorder your affections and priorities, to use your time, talent and treasure for greater purposes?
- Is God placing opportunities in front of me today to join Him in His extraordinary work?
