It has been a long time since I wrote here, but I've collected quite a note of random underdeveloped ideas I've jotted down over the past several months, and I decided to exercise my writing muscles again since I live in spreadsheet world these days and only write emails.
Lately I've found myself reflecting on how my definition of significance has changed over the years.
When I was younger, I tended to think lives that honored the Lord had to look extraordinary. The people speaking to thousands, leading large ministries, doing ministry in foreign countries, changing the world in obvious ways. The mental story I wrote was that if my life wasn't remarkable by the world's standards, maybe I wasn't fully living out what God had for me.
As I've gotten older, the Lord has gently been reshaping that way of thinking. I've begun to understand that an ordinary life lived faithfully is a life that greatly honors the Lord. That realization has encouraged me to look for the ways I can honor the Lord with my life now rather than missing what he has for me today in pursuit of what he may have for me in the future.
When Jesus told the parable of the talents, the master's commendation wasn't, "Well done, famous servant," or "Well done, influential servant." It was, "Well done, good and faithful servant." It was faithfulness, not visibility, recognition, or influence that mattered to the master.
God has always done some of his greatest work in hidden places. Jesus spent far more years in obscurity than He did in public ministry. Most of the disciples spent ordinary days fishing before Jesus called them. God met Moses while he was tending sheep. David was faithfully watching sheep before anyone knew he would become king. Perhaps hiddenness isn't a detour from God's work but rather where much of His work is done. I remember years ago hearing a Christine Caine message in which she compared hidden seasons to a darkroom where photographs are developed. The picture isn't abandoned in the dark. It's actually being prepared there. In the same way, God often develops our character, our dependence on Him, and our love for Him in seasons where very few people see what He's doing. Hidden doesn't mean forgotten.
I think that's true not only in certain seasons of life, but in much of the Christian life itself. Most of our discipleship happens in places that will never receive applause.
Praying when no one knows.
Showing up with integrity at work.
Serving faithfully at church.
Loving our families well.
Encouraging a friend.
Staying when leaving would be easier.
These things may not seem remarkable, but maybe the Lord sees them differently than we do.
I've also learned that our day-to-day ordinary lives aren't separate from God's work. This is often where His work happens. In the midst of the spreadsheets, the emails, the conversations over coffee, the grocery store trips, the worship sessions in the car, the meals shared with friends, we get to walk with God. These day-to-day activities aren't interruptions to discipleship. They are discipleship. Are we missing opportunities to be faithful in our daily lives in pursuit of something seemingly bigger and better?
The older I get, the less interested I am in living an impressive life and the more interested I am in living a faithful one. That doesn't mean I stop dreaming big dreams or believing God for great things. It just means my definition of success changes. Success is becoming more like Jesus. Success is loving people well. Success is saying yes to whatever the Lord is asking of me today, whether anyone else notices or not. Success is finishing well.
At the end of my life, I don't think I'll wish I had been more impressive. I'll just want to hear, "Well done."
So if you've ever looked at your life and thought it's too ordinary, maybe this encouragement is as much for you as it has been for me. Don't underestimate the holiness of everyday faithfulness. The kingdom is built one act of obedience at a time, big or small. Our daily submission to the Lord is not ordinary in his eyes. He sees every act of faithfulness, every unseen sacrifice, every quiet "yes." An ordinary life lived with Jesus is actually extraordinary because it is a life that honors him and points others to him.
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'"
Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
