The ordinary Christian is extraordinary. The word “ordinary” essentially means normal. All normal Christians, even if they don’t have any dramatic distinctions that make them a Moses or David—are extraordinary. The word “extraordinary” means very unusual or remarkable. Every single Christian is powerful beyond comprehension. We scarcely realize who we are.
Whether we were raised in a Catholic or Protestant church, there is usually a great chasm that develops between the pastor and the parishioners, the priest and people in the pews. The professional ministers do almost all of the ministering when the church is gathered. Any kind of outreach to engage the neighborhoods around the church is usually designed by the professionals who, then, strive to get the church attendees to help them. The whole experience of church members tends to be one of passive consumption or, at best, participating by helping the pastor.
Devilish delusion
This is like sending one player out on the soccer field and keeping everyone else on the bench. It’s a clever delusion straight from the serpent to make sure we never reach our potential as a church. It also ensures that pastors will become either completely overwhelmed or, perhaps worse, become inflated with pride and self-importance. When the professionals do all the works of ministry, the ordinary Christians get bored and feel unnecessary. Many think deep down that they could never do what the pastor does in a million years. They view the pastor’s role as exceedingly greater and more spiritual than their tiny role, whatever that may be. All this is a big fat lie.
Psalm 139 says that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The Lord designed each of us Himself. We are all marred by the fall, of course, but we are each designed perfectly. We are each uniquely gifted by God and are called by God to play unique roles to advance His kingdom on earth. What often quenches our potential is playing the comparison game. We waste so much time trying to be like someone we admire—instead of striving to be the best version of ourselves!
Various giftings
We are all good—and have the potential to be great—at certain things: making people feel at home, being direct, humor, mobilizing, dreaming, analyzing, discerning, fixing things, compassion, serving, leading, communicating, socializing, listening, being optimistic, being realistic, seeing flaws, gratitude, joyfulness, encouragement, grasping deep concepts, making deep things simple, working with kids, abstract thinking, concrete thinking, innovating, implementing, maintaining, sparking, finishing, curiosity, wonder, hard work, risk-taking, fearlessness, nurture, stillness, numbers, words, music, identifying problems, solving problems, athletics, art, technology, and 1000 other things. I think it’s a mistake to reduce our gifting to one thing. Yes, maybe there is one strong gift in some of us, but most of us have a complex mix of dozens—or hundreds—of gifts. We may not comprehend this now, but in eternity we’ll realize just how spectacular the Creator has designed each of us. Consider these verses.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8
What I want to emphasize is the idea that “each has received a gift” and these “gifts differ according to the grace given to us.” Take that in. You are gifted. What? Really? Maybe you don’t think of yourself as gifted in any special way. You are! God Himself has not only designed you wonderfully, but He has given you a particular grace (gift) in order for you to fulfill your role in this life—and throughout eternity. There is no one gifted exactly like you. You are a spectacular one-of-a-kind creation with a unique calling that only you can fulfill. Oh that you would stand tall in the call. Go out into the world knowing who you are in Christ.
How we view ourselves
There’s a lot I could say about all this as it relates to church life, but this letter is about our mission to reach people who are far from God. If we view ourselves as powerless, inferior, weak, and lame spiritually—we probably won’t have much effect on spiritually lost people around us. If we think that professional pastors are powerful, and we are just sinners saved by grace who can’t do much, then we probably won’t do much. The way we think of ourselves matters a lot.
Now, I’m not saying we should ever think of ourselves more highly than we ought. But, we also need to be careful we don’t think of ourselves as less than we ought. The first is pride. The second is false humility, which is also a form of pride. We need to view ourselves as God sees us.
If you are a Christian you are a new creation in Christ. Christ lives in you. And you live in Christ. You are regenerated, born anew. You are indwelt by the Holy Spirit—the third Person of the trinity! It is true that apart from Christ you can do nothing (John 15) but through Christ, you can do all things (Phil 4). You were dead and are now alive. You are the light of the world as a follower of Jesus. You are ambassadors of Jesus Christ in this world. You are commissioned ones, sent out by Christ, given authority from Christ, to proclaim the glorious gospel. You are a kingdom of priests (2 Peter 2). Each of you has a call to minister uniquely in your generation. God has provided everything you need to fulfill your divine assignments.
Many of us feel so unworthy before God that it’s hard to imagine that we are extraordinary and powerful. It’s easy to think so low of ourselves that we can go through life just trying not to fall away. Or, we struggle to get to a place of just feeling accepted by God. We never get around to doing what we are called to do. I pray that as ordinary Christians we would be awakened to the divine power within us—the same power that raised Christ from the dead! I pray that as ordinary Christians we would be activated and equipped to flourish in works of ministry.
What about flaws?
When we view ourselves as merely sinful little Christians who can’t do much, we have little impact. We need to realize that we have a Treasure (Spirit) in this earthen vessel (body). Yes, we have imperfections, weaknesses, past failures. From a worldly standpoint maybe we are uneducated or poor. Maybe we are not viewed as a person who has resources or who is a natural leader in society. Maybe we are not physically attractive or physically healthy. Maybe we have an unusual number of practical problems. None of that matters. In fact, God, in His infinite wisdom, will work all those things together for our good and for His glory. You are powerful beyond measure. God lives in you!
If the Lord has planted you at a job, in a neighborhood, in a college, on a sports team, or wherever, where everyone around you is spiritually lost—know that God Himself is coming to them through you. When you show up in a place, God shows up, because God dwells within you. Jesus said that His followers would have streams of living water flowing out of them.
Grasshopper complex
I'm reminded of the story of Joshua and Caleb and the ten spies. The spies were sent out to view the land the Lord God was giving them. They saw how abundantly fruitful the land was. But, they also saw the great fortified cities and the powerful giant warriors in the land. They felt like grasshoppers in their sight; they felt the way they looked to the giants. Because the giants viewed them as nothing, as small, as pathetic little grasshoppers to be squashed, well, they took on this low view of themselves.
Joshua and Caleb, however, saw things very differently than the ten spies. Oh, they knew that, in a worldly sense, they were fantastically outmatched on every level against these foes. But they knew that—because God was with them—they could easily swallow up these enemies who were mightier than them.
The David and Goliath story is another reminder of this principle. David was a scrawny teen up against a mighty giant warrior. But David knew that the God who crushes giants was with him.
Carrier of the divine
The unregenerate people around you may not think much of you. You may not be impressive in a worldly sense. You may be the least educated. You may have the lowest position in your workplace. You may be viewed as a little odd for your Christian beliefs. Maybe you’re not considered cool or hip, or whatever. Maybe you are behind the times in your fashion. Maybe you’re not in the know of all the current cultural trends and what’s going viral on social media. Maybe you don’t even know who Ted Lasso is or what it means to be cancelled. Maybe people even mock you openly.
Listen. Don’t let any of that affect how you view yourself as a messenger of Jesus. The reality is that the people around you are spiritually dead. They are estranged from God. They are alive physically, but the inner chamber, where God longs to dwell, is empty. They are without God. You may be an unimpressive, and even ugly vessel—but you are endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit, and you have a gospel message that has the power to save their souls. Next time you step into that environment, know that you are a carrier of the divine. Know that light is going into the darkness and dispelling it. Know that God in you is making a visit.
Be strong.
Be bold.
Be yourself.
— Scott A