From Ordinary to Extraordinary

I'm sure that you know the story of "The Wizard of Oz".  The book was originally written as a political satire of the 1896 presidential election and was turned into one of the most beloved movies of all time.  One of the things that I like about the story is that the characters are so often much more than they first appear.  The scarecrow professes to have a head full of straw, but is called upon to solve the problems, the heartless tin man has the most compassion and the cowardly lion stands his ground when it's needed.  Most people are actually like this.

Most people are more than the labels that define us.  Most people are deeper when you get to know them.  Most people, when the time calls for it, rise above their circumstances to perform great things.  I think of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus or the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who overcame the hijackers to crash their plane during the September 11th attacks. They didn't get up that day intending for it go that way.  The circumstances presented them selves and they were there.

God is well known for calling on the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary.  With God it so often seems to be about the person and purpose rather than the position.  Sure, there are time when God's purpose is fulfilled by a King or a Priest, but it is just as likely a shepherd or tax collector.  

Watch this clip from Pastor Mike.

God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes when they obey His commands.  Mary and Joseph were ordinary people called to raise Jesus, the son of God.  I think that any of us could use a bit of extraordinary in our life.