Why be normal?

If you know me, you know I am a Mac user and fan of Apple Products. However, I have a huge respect for Bill Gates. I’m not just saying this because he is a giving away billions of his dollars for great causes, but because he is such an ordinary person who did an extraordinary thing by changing the way people manage their lives through the use of a computer. He’s a nerd. He looks so plain and geeky in early pictures. He’s small, and looks a bit weak. But he changed the world.

I have always wanted to be a “rock star” christian. I have always wanted to be extraordinary and do great things like the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther, and Billy Graham. I have always hated being ordinary. It’s boring. How can someone who is ordinary and even despised ever change the world? Because Jesus told us so. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29:

“26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.”

God has deliberately used ordinary people, despised people, un-cool, nerdy, geeky, weak, funny looking people to literally change the world. So why do we all try so hard not to be ordinary when it’s obvious this is the kind of person God uses to change the world? Because we are trying to force God’s hand by standing out in the crowd. We want him to see us like Waldo. We want him to see us through all the ordinary people so maybe he will take notice and use us.

We can’t force God’s hand, but we can ask him to use us. I love how Isaiah said it to God in 6:8, “And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I had the opportunity to attend a church Pastor’s conference a few weeks ago. There were many rock star pastors. They looked so cool and they stood out in the crowd. It began to bug me a bit because fashion and the “look” seemed overly important. What really mattered, though, was that in their hearts they were obviously men and women who said, “And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” They just decided to look good while being sent.

So, I encourage you today with this: Are you despised, are your normal, are you geeky and nerdy and weak? Are you ordinary? That’s ok with God. You don’t need to look or act like someone you are not. God will take notice of you when he looks at your heart and you respond with, “Here am I. Send me!”