Just an Ordinary, Average Guy

Joe Walsh sang a song about being just an ordinary, average guy. A guy who has to pickup dog do, drinks beer with friends, and drives a Dodge. This past Sunday, the preacher at my church talked about being Average, and how that is a good thing. Sadly, our closing hymn was not Joe Walsh.

In the sermon, the pastor said that it is OK for us to be average. That God called average people, like Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah's, to do his work. In part of his message, he said that it is OK that we may not read the latest Max Lucado book or attend the latest spiritual conference. That perhaps it is better that we look to the tax collector than the pharisee for how to approach God. However, I felt that he ended his message short. I will continue with my thoughts.

God does call ordinary people. Few people who are called by God are called because of their righteousness or greatness. Moses was called after killing an Egyptian and running from his home. Levi/Matthew was called despite being a tax collector. Paul was called despite being in his words, "the biggest sinner of all." Peter and James were called despite being fishermen. These ordinary people became followers of God and become righteous by the grace of God. Not because of what they did, but because they put their faith in God and trusted him.

But these ordinary people didn't stay ordinary! They did extraordinary things for God. Moses led God's people across the desert to the Holy Land. Paul, Peter, James, and Matthew became leaders of The Way, taking the Word to new places and were willing to become martyrs for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus tells us that we will not be ordinary people. People will hate us, we will have to leave our family behind, we will do things greater than he did. But we do not do it on our own or alone. Jesus sent us the Spirit to dwell in us and to guide us. This promise to the Disciples applies to all who place their faith in Christ and pick up their cross and follow.

However, even though we are called to something higher and are made righteous with Christ, we are not to boast of what we have done. The tax collector is still our model for how to approach God. Humbly approaching God saying "God be merciful to me a sinner." We are only saved by the grace of God. We must approach God with the knowledge that our extraordinary life is a result of Christ's work on the cross. An act of selflessness and love we could never even dream of matching.

So being average is good. God calls average people. But don't stay average! God calls average people to do above average things by their living below average lives.