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A common ordinary life
The Gospel of John is a treasure trove, revealing not only the divinity of Jesus, but also his humanity. John tells the story of Jesus, revealing his love for the man who became his Savior in such a way that many come to love Jesus because of his faithful testimony. In fact, I have heard people advise those who haven't yet read the Bible to start with John's Gospel, because the apostle so eloquently reveals the heart of grace revealed in the life of Jesus and the salvation he purchased for us.
The closing verse of John has always intrigued me, because as full and as rich as the testimony is in 21 chapters, John leaves me hungry for more with the final statement, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
I've never heard anyone claim that this was a prophetic statement by the apostle, but it kind of is. At least for me.
After all that's what these many discourses over these many years have been. A testimony of how Jesus has impacted this altogether ordinary life, a life of ups and downs, of victories and crushing defeats, a life locked in time. A life not that dissimilar to yours.
First a daughter and a sister, then a wife, a mother and now a grandmother. Grocery store lines, bounced checks, empty cupboards and enough to spare. Everything common about me is common to all of us. Privileged to have been born where we are in the time we are, we enjoy unprecedented affluence and abundance. So far, so good.
Absolutely average. That describes me perfectly, down to height, weight, color of hair, number of children, and so on. Average. Nothing special here folks. No super powers, no natural tendencies to optimism, no great beauty to set me apart from my peers. I work hard. So does everyone I know. I love deeply and with great passion. Again, so does everyone I know. I have been known to throw a temper tantrum or three in my day. So have most people I know. I shudder to remember my teen rebellions and the tears those rebellions brought to my parents and now to me, in remorse and repentance. So do most people I know.
A recent heart-to-heart visit on my front porch with my sister-in-law revealed again how easily we assign attributes to ordinary people, people "just like us," except somehow stronger in faith, or somehow born to make money, or more beautiful, or more naturally outgoing. The list is long. Somehow, we've decided, they're different than we are, and that difference has made all the difference in how their lives are lived out.
Not so much. Look down your block. See the house on the corner, the lawn so carefully manicured, the flowers deadheaded daily, everything in place? Three doors down, the contrast couldn't be greater. Weeds creep out over the sidewalk, leaving goatheads in your path, the screen door is unhinged and the car in the driveway has had a flat tire for three months.
Yet, behind the front doors, the struggles are much the same. Some folks just have access to better camouflage. Nothing special here, folks. Just an ordinary person, living an ordinary life.
If there is anything extraordinary in my life, it is that Jesus came into it.
Why would he do that? Why did he do that? It seems incomprehensible. And there is certainly nothing extraordinary about my bewilderment.
Some people never get past the bewilderment. Because the concept of Jesus, who he was, who he is, how he lived and why he died is so incomprehensible.
Until you realize, he did it for you. Common, altogether ordinary, you.
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17 (NIV)
Things you won't see in heaven:
Camouflaged front doors
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