ORDINARY HEROES
On April 4, six-year-old Olivia Patterson was playing in her yard in North Yorkshire, England when she noticed flames rising from the roof of her home. Knowing her mother Laura was inside asleep with her two younger siblings Joel-James and Tiffany, she ran into the burning home shouting, “Wake up mum—wake up the babies.” The house was destroyed, but everyone escaped, due to Olivia’s heroism and quick actions.
(https://people.com/6-year-old-girl-runs-into-burning-home-saves-family-fire-8631374)
A few days later, Walter Rudder of Collier County, Florida was driving home when he saw his neighbor on the ground waving his arm. As Rudder approached, he discovered an eleven-foot alligator was dragging his friend, Rick Fingerutt, toward a pond. Acting quickly, Rudder backed up and ran over the reptilian assassin, forcing the gator to release him. Fingerhutt is doing well, thanks to Rudder’s rapid response.
(https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/florida-man-rescued-from-alligator-attack-by-neighbor-recent-sightings-prompt-fwc-warnings/)
Olivia Patterson and Walter Rudder share an honor—they’re both ordinary heroes. Ordinary people doing ordinary things, with extraordinary results. Sort of reminds me of some of our beloved Bible heroes.
God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. Gideon was the least in his family, who were the least in the tribe of Manasseh (Judges 6:15), yet with an army of 300 God used him to defeat 150,000 Midianites (Judges 7). Hagar, a slave, became the mother of a multitude of nations (Genesis 16:10). Esther was a young orphan, living in a foreign land. Yet she saved her people from annihilation. David was a shepherd boy who defeated a giant (1 Samuel 17). Peter cowered before a servant girl in Caiaphas’s house (John 18:16-17). But fifty days later, he boldly proclaimed the resurrected Christ to thousands who had killed him (Acts 2).
Why would the Lord choose these characters? There’s nothing special about any of them—just ordinary folks. If it were me, I would have chosen the brightest and best. But God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people.
What about you? Ever feel ordinary? Ever feel un-special? God has destined you for greatness, because he loves to pull extraordinary results out of ordinary tasks. It may be helping to shape the next generation by teaching Sunday school. Or perhaps saying a word of encouragement to someone that changes their life. Make no mistake about it. You may feel ordinary, but you’re one of God’s ordinary heroes. Never forget, God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people.
Principle: God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people.
Ponder:
At what times have you sensed God working through you to do something extraordinary?
Of all the ordinary Bible characters, which is your favorite that God used to do something extraordinary?
Pursue: For a deeper dive study Hebrews 11.
Prayer: Lord God, at times I feel so ordinary. Even if I can’t see how you’re operating in my life, I surrender to you. Work through me as you see fit.