Ordinary & add the Extra

Happy 2026 FBC.  My prayer for you this year is that God would encourage you in your journey with Him and that you would take extra steps to worship Him like never before.  As we begin the new year I want to encourage you with this thought, God loves to use ordinary people. I’m reminded of the passage, “ 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 Corinthians 1:27. God has always been a big fan of the simple and ordinary person.

As we just finished celebrating Christmas, we are reminded of the choice of ordinary people to share in an extraordinary event. It wasn’t a Prince or Princess that were chosen to become the parents of the Savior of the world. Instead, it was a carpenter from a simple background and his wife to be, named Mary. Two teenagers that would not have made the cut if we were picking the future parents of Jesus. Lowly shepherds were the last to find out about the news of the day. After all they were always out in the fields keeping watch over the flock.  But God didn’t pick them last but instead first. The most ordinary of men would become some of the first to know of the birth of the Messiah.
 
The ministry of Jesus was for the most part turning the least likely into the lead of the story.  Disciples were not chosen on theological credentials or prior speaking engagements.  The choices were not based on merit or money but instead a mixture of the most common men you could imagine. A tax collector who was a note taker here, an outspoken fisherman was picked as well.  Some were quiet, some were older, all were different and yet Jesus used them to do the extraordinary.

Still today it is amazing to see how God chooses the ordinary to take up the story and carry it on. The church today is made up of people from all walks of life. The simple, the studious, the scientist and even the skeptics are just to name a few. But God still believes in using the ordinary person to tell of his extraordinary love. You may be wondering, what can God do through me?  Before you list your reasons for disqualifications allow me to give you a list of why God can use you… because you are an ordinary person.  Your age doesn’t matter nor do your skills and talents.  God wants you just the way you are, plain and simple.

Ben was my neighbor for several years. Ben, who was born with down syndrome is one of the sweetest souls I’ve ever met.  Our friendship grew over the years.  On Wednesday nights, I’d return home late from church. Without fail, my green trash container would be rolled out to the street every Wednesday. It was Ben who had taken on the task by himself to get my garbage out on time. After a few weeks I approached Ben and said, “Ben, I appreciate your help, but I can get my own garbage out to the street.” Ben seemed disappointed in my reply to his kind gesture.  Ben paused and then firmly looked at me and with much courage said, “I can’t do what you do Kevin, but I can take out the garbage can.” That night Ben taught me a great lesson.  God was still using ordinary men like a young preacher boy and his neighbor Ben to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God.  Aren’t you thankful that God takes the ordinary and adds something extra.