Have you ever felt caught in the relentless pursuit of "extraordinary"? Driven by societal expectations, social media feeds, family dreams, and perhaps even internal whispers, we chase achievements, adventures, and accomplishments that seem to define success. But amidst this frenzied race, the poet William Martin offers a counterintuitive insight:
Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.
–William Martin
Martin, instead, invites us to cultivate wonder and marvel in the ordinary. In the vibrant taste of a fruit, the bittersweet tears for a lost pet or loved one, and the simple touch of a hand, lies an untold depth of beauty and meaning. And it's here, in the seemingly mundane, that we encounter the extraordinary presence of God. Revelation 1:4-5 explodes with a declaration of grace and peace from the ever-existing, ever-present God:
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.
This God isn't confined to the extraordinary moments of mountaintop experiences or dazzling revelations. We are shown that there is not one sliver of space or time in which God is not only present, but is hinting at the reality that He is guiding all of creation to its intended purpose, which is to glorify Him. Time and history are God’s playground where He orchestrates human lives toward His glory and His people’s satisfaction in Him. He whispers in the wind, dances in the sunlight on leaves, and holds us close in the quiet moments of our ordinary lives. Our Lives and work were and are destined to move into this space and posture as God’s image bearers; discerning how the Lord is moving us into this state in relation to Him.
Living in the light of this glory transforms our perspective on everything, including our vocation and work. It's not just about finding the "perfect" job or achieving personal glory. It's about aligning our hearts with God's purpose, offering every task, big or small, as an act of worship.
Paul, in Colossians 3, beautifully articulates this shift in mindset. He urges us to work for the Lord, not for human recognition or reward. The true prize, he reminds us, is the inheritance we receive from Christ. Our work becomes a sacred offering, a way to connect with God and participate in His grand symphony. Work, or any kind of performance, provides us with an opportunity to give what my former ministry post liked to call, ‘a thank you performance.’ Because of the finished work of Christ on our behalf, the need to justify myself to God or other people was removed. Jesus met all of the righteous requirements of God’s law, which are higher than any human entity, while at the same time being a substitutionary atonement by His death on the Cross for all of our failings. As a result of this work and the invitation to receive or accept such grace from Him, humanity is given the opportunity to enjoy and receive His accepting presence and power in every endeavor we partake in. Our lives are no longer driven by a need to earn God’s favor, but instead becomes a platform wherein we can use everything that we put our hands and minds to express our deep love and gratitude for how He has loved us.
This spiritual reorientation can shift the vocational conversation quite dramatically from "what" to "why." Instead of obsessing over titles and career paths in an effort to earn our worth and acceptability, we can instead ask ourselves: How can I say ‘thank you’ for how the Lord has saved me through His life, death, and resurrection? How might I glorify God in this moment? How can I bring His presence into my daily tasks? How can I offer this work as an act of worship, not to a distant God, but to the One who dances in the sunlight, whispers in the wind, and engages in everything that I do?
This Gospel re-calibration challenges us to step off the treadmill of the extraordinary and rediscover the profound beauty of the ordinary. This gracious reality, provided by the saving work of Jesus, needs to be what is discipling and forming the hearts and minds of soon to be and longtime workers. As a result, the typical ‘christian vocational talk’ will be turned on its head. This ‘glorification of God’ posture will move us from a focus on self-actualization to that of offerings of Worship to our creator. Let's taste the wonder in a ripe tomato, feel the sting of tears for a beloved pet, and hold the hand of a friend. In these seemingly small moments, let's invite God in, allowing His glory to transform our work, our lives, and the world around us. For when we live in the light of God's glory, the extraordinary truly takes care of itself.