Ordinary is defined as “no special or distinctive features”.  Now that we established a clear understanding of the word, I want to go on record as saying that I am very, very ordinary.  I’ve never won an olympic medal, played in the Super Bowl, written a best seller, starred in a movie, or done anything that the world would consider exceptional.  There is no danger of my life becoming a new Netflix series.  Honestly, the closest I have come to exceeding ordinary is somehow managing to marry an exceptional woman who inspires me and loves our family passionately.

At this point, let me say that if you are exceptional, skip this and read about Paul, he was an amazing, exceptional overachiever who played an integral part in changing the world.

As for the rest of us plain ordinary people, it’s quite possible that life is filled with a sense of meaninglessness.  Maybe even worthlessness.  The world says there’s no value to being ordinary.  We celebrate the exceptional.  We don’t even notice the ordinary.  For most of us, life hasn’t turned out exactly as we pictured it as a child.  No career in the NFL, no Nicolas Sparks type soul mate who sweeps you off your feet, no lakehouse to spend the weekends in.  It’s just an ordinary life.  It’s full of work, cleaning house, paying bills, raising kids, saving for college and or retirement, going to class, that sort of thing.  

Here’s what I want you to hear.  God takes the ordinary, and makes it extraordinary.  Read 1 Cor 1:26-29 where it says “for you see your calling brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…”  I love that.  God sees us so differently than the world does.

Take a look at the lives of the disciples.  Christ hand picked 12 men to walk beside Him for 18 months in order to pick up and take over His ministry after He ascended into heaven.  Think about that, God’s plan of salvation for the world is going to be left up to 12 men.  If we were choosing 12, we would look for the best and brightest.  The high performers, those who had a proven track record of success.

Not Christ.  He chose 12 ordinary men.  Really ordinary.  Mostly fishermen, a tax collector, others who were likely simple tradesmen, not one exceptional high performer in the group.   12 ordinary men who are proof that God works in the lives of those who are willing.  Proof that God can, and will, change the world though ordinary men and women.  They never reached any level of extraordinary by the world’s standards.  They never got rich, never retired to a life of ease, in fact, most were martyred.  But though the power of the Holy Spirit, they changed the world.

There’s much more, but let me leave with you a word of encouragement.  Your life can and should be full of meaning, even if the world sees it as ordinary.  Pursuing God with a reckless abandonment simply requires passion, not a master’s degree in theology.  Changing the world begins with a life committed to Christ, not an Oscar or a Swiss bank account.  Instead of striving to be extraordinary, may we strive to passionately and wholeheartedly pursue Christ, and allow Him to achieve His purpose in our lives.  And at our end, we will hear “well done good and faithful servant”, the most extraordinary thing that can ever be said about our lives.

Grace and peace.