Ordinary to Extraordinary

(by guest blogger: Tracy Holstein)

Do you believe that God can take something ordinary and make it extraordinary? It was an ordinary inquiry—a natural question that my son asked me. I had asked it myself of different people I’d seen standing beside the road. You know the ones with a sign that reads, “Will work for food” or “Homeless”.     MORE   

I had asked it of the same person John was asking me about as we drove by Connell’s Hardware one day, “Mom, who is that man on the sidewalk; and why is he homeless?”  

I told him the little I knew of Bob—the man who walks down Main Street, counting lines in the sidewalk—who sleeps, most of the time, outside Connell’s. I ended with, “We should pray for him.” And we did—every time we saw him and almost every night in our bedtime prayers.

Now if the story ended here it would still be an ordinary story. It’s not particularly extraordinary to ask about a homeless man.

But, through our prayers, God nudged John. The questions continued, and a burden for Bob grew in John—to the point where I had to connect John with someone from our church with whom I knew Bob had a close relationship and could answer John’s questions. My husband and I thought, “Our friend, Dave, can talk to John and give him the answers about Bob that we don’t know.” At this point, we were still at ordinary.

When I asked our friend Dave if he’d talk to John, he said, “How about if John and I take Bob out to lunch after church on Sunday?” Okay, that’s not ordinary—John going out to lunch with a homeless man? We said yes, but not without some uneasiness.

That lunch was when God took something ordinary—a simple inquiry about a homeless man—and made it extraordinary. John saw the dedication and love that not only Dave has for Bob, but that several people in the community have for Bob. John began a personal relationship with Bob that day and no longer had to know Bob through stories of how others cared for him. John could care for him personally now. That day, John learned of one of Bob’s favorite meals and that his coffee has to come from Jolly Pirate. Up until that point, we’d always wanted to take Bob food but never knew what he liked or would eat. Because of John’s ordinary inquiry, we discovered Bob’s preferences and are now able to take Bob food and coffee that we know he’ll enjoy. On Bob’s 50th birthday last March, we stopped and John wished him a Happy Birthday and gave him a gift certificate to his favorite fast food restaurant. It was the first time we saw a smile—albeit quick—on Bob’s face.

And when Bob was brutally beaten last spring, I was able to take a few shifts and assist him in the hospital. I was able to meet his mother and step-father. I was blessed to have the job of changing the sheets on his bed—all because of a then-eleven-year-old boy’s ordinary question—which God changed into an extraordinary story.

Now I don’t tell you this to pat myself—or even John—on the back. I tell you this because:

As parents, we have to be willing to pay the cost of discipleship. We have to step into uncomfortable, scary, sometimes dirty places and situations as examples to our kids. When our kids show a burden for others or an interest in helping others, jump at the first chance you get to facilitate that nudge from God—even if it means that they, and you, have to step out of your comfort zones.

Look for Bible stories where God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things. Read with your children about Ruth, Elisha and the shepherds at the Nativity. Then discuss with your children where God can use ordinary people like you to do extraordinary things. Is it at The Shepherd’s Place, downtown at the YWCA Life Center, or at the satellite campus? Or is it reaching out to someone in your own neighborhood?

Dear God, we want to be your hands and feet. Show us how and give us the strength to do so. Amen.