Less than Ordinary

There are tons of ordinary people in the world. Lincoln himself said "The Lord must have loved ordinary people - he made so many of them." That is true, isn't it? Ordinary people live day to day lives doing "normal" things like going to work, raising a family, etc... They make no huge long lasting imprint on the world except to bring forth life that will continue after they are gone from this earth. Their children will be ordinary too, multiply, and pass on. They will make ordinary choices, fit in with the "status quo", but all in all, they won't make a huge difference in the world.

There are people that are extra-ordinary too....those special people who excel at certain things. It could be sports, or entertainment, or holiness, or business, or loving, or in motivating others, or they are people that are just so charismatic that everyone wants to be around them.

Then there are those people who are less than ordinary by human standards. These are people that never really measure up to anyone's standards - not the standards of society, their family, and they even have lots of trouble living up to all the standards listed in the Bible. Lucky for them, the Bible also says that we all fall short of the glory of God. We are all sinners. Less than ordinary people have potential if even to be ordinary, but for some reason, it doesn't happen.

I consider myself to be one of the less than ordinary people. Today's gospel reading was about the people who God gave talents to and some multiplied their talents, and one person buried them and had nothing to give back in return. I feel like I have been given talents. I really do. I also feel that at this point in my life it doesn't matter where I offer them, or try to invest them, they are just not wanted. I am not burying them, I am actually standing up yelling to God "Pick me! Pick me!". But He stands silent. Therefore at this time in my life, I feel less than ordinary.

So, this is related to my last blog entry on humility and humiliation. I am waiting. I'm surrendering. I'm waiting to be rebuilt. I'm holding onto my talents and holding them out there...sort of like a beggar on a street corner. But instead of holding out my hand to get donations, I'm holding out my hands to give something to those who pass by. There have not been any takers in quite some time. I am accepting that to the best of my ability.

Maybe one day soon somebody (the church in particular) will be interested in what I have to offer. If not, at least I won't feel guilty for burying my talents. God knows that I'm trying to fit in and I believe that someday he will honor that.