I love living on the edge, pushing the envelope of my faith in my service to Jesus through Teens Opposing Poverty. I can identify with those who make a call for “radical Christianity.” But my chosen vocation and avocation are not for every Christian.
Each year, we see over 1,500 youth and adult volunteers serve the poor through our ministry. The vast majority of them won’t choose full-time ministry as their vocation. The adults have normal jobs and the youth are getting through school. When they graduate, most of the youth will get jobs and raise families, just like their unbelieving neighbors. Hopefully, they will stay in the church.
In other words, they will live ordinary lives.
Kristen is an adult volunteer with one of the groups that is involved in our motel ministry. She met a couple at one of the motels and they became close friends. Kristen has advocated for them, helped the wife get a set of dentures, visits them on a regular basis and invites them to special occasions in her life. She leads and ordinary life, but by just becoming a caring friend she has done something extraordinary.
If you follow Jesus, you will be anything but ordinary. The Holy Spirit can guide you to those wonderful, small acts that can impact the lives of others. Living a life filled with righteousness, love, grace, mercy and justice will make you stick out like a sore thumb even if you don’t abandon the ‘burbs for a radical life with the rural or urban poor. You can be a disciple maker and witness for Christ right where you are. Just be true to Him.
People everywhere need a dose of God’s grace, a friend, a listening ear, wise counsel from the Bible, a word of encouragement, a smile on a really bad day and…well, you get the picture. It doesn’t take much to be extraordinarily ordinary.
God’s grace to you,
Steve Jennings Executive Director
http://www.TeensOpposingPoverty.org