No Great Man

Ah ha! You never thought that the title “No Great Man” would be associated with a picture of my hero, did you? Read on.

My brother recently communicated that he has little desire to be a “great man.” In other words, he is not hoping to be a political instrument, a pastor, a missionary, or a lawyer in New York. He is longing to be an ordinary man living in an extraordinary fashion. Thus he will change the world.

This statement made my mind wander to those people who have really changed my life. Not the famous speaker that kept my attention for an hour and made it into a journal entry for a day. Not the heroes of the Bible or the guest missionary speaker who knew God’s calling on his life since infancy . . . those people are influential and sincere; but honestly, they have not changed the way that I carry out my daily life.

God has always used average men and women in my life to refine me, break me, humble me, and challenge me. My parents, neither of whom possess a college degree or do anything out of the ordinary, have shaped my life. My brother, who is a typical man living in an amazing way because of simple obedience and faith, has changed me in so many aspects that I fear to think where I would be if he was not my brother. Average guys that I know from work, like Rick, Allen, Heiko, and Nate have shown me what it means to be real and how much difference an understanding spirit can make in someone’s day. God used Josh Meals - another typical man - to open my eyes to how easily my sin causes life to become confusing and makes God’s direction unclear. These truths have been life changing for me. They literally affect the way that I talk, interact, work, and think each day of my life.

My heroes remain those ordinary people who work average jobs, have typical lives, and never stand out in society. God is using His children (who are weak) to change the world, point people to truth, and spread His gospel.