Ordinary amazingness

I was at the 2013 G12 Conference "Breath of Life" last weekend, and as usual, many great speakers were invited to attend, and we had thousands of people from Singapore and many other countries in attendance.  There was one particular speaker who had a church of several hundred, much smaller than many of the other speakers' churches.  I remember thinking, as he spoke, that in comparison to the other speakers, his ideas seemed rather "small-scale" and more suited for running a good cell group rather than a big church.  Mundane things like, be welcoming and relevant to visitors.  It was also clear that, unlike the other speakers, he was not a full-time pastor, and had a secular day job.  This further added to his "regular guy" persona, with merely "regular guy" observations and ideas.

I confess that at the end of his session, I was not especially impressed.  He was just another guy, maybe like me, holding a job, with a family, and trying to walk in God's will.  There didn't seem to be any particularly fresh teaching, and most of what he said seemed to be simple common sense.  I'd been furiously taking down notes for the preceding speaker, but didn't write down a single thing for this speaker.

Then my senior pastor came up to wrap up the session, and he said something that completely changed my perspective.  He said (or words to the effect) "This guy is a great man.  He's not a full-time pastor.  He has a full-time secular job.  But he leads a church.  He has only one part-time administrator.  And he has 600 people.  How many people have you got?  So, if he can do it... then why not you?"

Suddenly, the speaker's ordinariness, which I'd been distinctly unimpressed with, became the very thing I was astounded by.  Where, indeed, are my 600 people?  It's not so much about the evidence of fruitfulness, but that he was ready and prepared to obey and serve God by taking on this work.  This guy has a full-time job, just like me.  He has a family and hangs out with them, watching TV, just like me.  He wants to obey God, just like me  - wait - apparently not like me!  Unlike me, he is a blessing and servant-leader to 600 people, even in the midst of his otherwise ordinary life.  God is working through him to make him a regular superman!

So - the lesson for me this week?  Think big, ask big, dream big for God.  God is on my side - and He uses ordinary, even flawed, selfish, judgmental people like me.  But even as I seek to avail myself to God to do these great works, let me remember that all these things are done by His power and grace, patiently working through my everyday actions, done faithfully, joyfully and lovingly.  As Mother Teresa famously said about the power of ordinary things done with love: "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."  God will take care of the rest!

So, more than merely being used for God's purposes, let me walk with God, so that I may remain in His gentle, loving presence at all times, even as we work out these amazing (and frankly scary - 600 people??! :)) exploits together.

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