Episode 73 - God Uses the Ordinary

God doesn’t wait for extraordinary people. He uses ordinary people who are willing. In this episode, we explore powerful examples from Scripture and discover practical ways we can position ourselves to be used by God in everyday life.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello friends. Welcome to Walking with Our Master. I'm your host, Dave Leighton. Whether you're starting your morning or winding down your evening, let's take a few moments to center our hearts on some thoughts about what really matters. Have you ever felt ordinary? Not especially gifted? Not especially bold? Not the one people would expect God to use in a meaningful way. If we're honest, most of us have felt that at some point. Call it ordinary or humble or just plain folks. The truth is God has never been limited by ordinary people. In fact, ordinary, humble, or just plain folks are exactly who He chooses. First Corinthians chapter one verse twenty seven reminds us God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. Something I've noticed is that throughout Scripture, those that God used for his purposes and were most effective were those who either started humble or learned humility. They had to remove themselves to allow God to work. That's at the heart of what I'm speaking about in this episode. Well, let's look at how this plays out in real ways. Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness, far removed from influence and leadership. He even doubted his own ability to speak. All he had in his hand was his shepherd's staff. Yet God used him to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel to freedom. David was a boy shepherd, overlooked by his own family, but God saw his heart, and that ordinary boy became a king. Peter was a fisherman, not formerly trained, not polished, he failed publicly. And yet, after encountering Jesus, he became a bold voice for the gospel. Mary was a young woman with no status in the eyes of the world, yet her willingness to trust God allowed her to play a role in the greatest story ever told. Think about Gideon. He saw himself as the least in his family from the weakest clan. When God called him a mighty warrior, Gideon didn't feel mighty at all. But when he trusted God, he led a small army to victory against overwhelming odds. And then there's Esther, an ordinary young woman who became queen, not by accident, but by God's providence. When the moment came, her courage and willingness to step forward saved her people. Then there's the boy with the loaves and fish. He didn't have much, just a small lunch, but he was willing to give what he had. And in the hands of Jesus it became more than enough to feed thousands. And there's one more powerful example that we just cannot overlook. Jesus encountered a man possessed by demons, living among the tombs, isolated, broken, and beyond help. No one expected anything from him except fear and avoidance. But then he encountered Jesus. In a moment, everything changed. He was restored physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was sitting clothed and in his right mind. And what did he want to do? He wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus gave him a different calling. Jesus said, Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. And that man, once broken, once forgotten, went throughout the region proclaiming what Christ had done for him. He became a messenger, not because he was trained, not because he had status, but because he had a story and he was willing to share it. Do you see it? God doesn't need extraordinary people or perfect pasts. He works through surrendered hearts and redeemed lives. So the question becomes, how do we become that kind of person? How do we move from simply hearing these stories to actually living them? Well, here are some practical ways to become willing. We start with daily surrender. Willingness begins with a simple prayer. Lord, here I am. Use me today. Be faithful in small things. God prepares us in the ordinary before using us in greater ways. Small acts of obedience matter. Step forward even when you feel unqualified. We don't have to feel ready. We just have to trust God enough to take the next step. Let God use what you already have. Like the boy with the loaves or the man with a testimony or Moses leading Israel. God uses what's already in our hands and your story. Share what God has done in your life. You don't need a platform to make an impact. We need a testimony. Just like the man freed from the demons, we may not have theological training, Apollos like oratory skills, and an audience of thousands. Like the man, we simply tell others of what Jesus has done for us. Stay close to God. Willingness grows out of a relationship. The closer we walk with our Lord, the more ready we are to respond. Well, as I began to wrap up, here's some other things to think about. What has God done in your life that you haven't shared? Where have you been holding back? Because you feel ordinary or perhaps because of your past? What would it look like to simply say yes? Remember, we don't have to be extraordinary, we don't have to have it all together, we don't have to wait until we feel ready. God is not looking for perfection, he's looking for willingness. And when an ordinary person places their life in the hands of an extraordinary God, there is no limit to what he can do. Well, thanks for listening today as together we walk with our master. I'm your host, Dave Leighton. Please join us again next week as we continue seeking truth, growing in faith, and getting back to what really matters.