Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
Have you ever felt that God couldn’t use you to serve Him because you were just too ordinary? I’m not a famous actor, or influencer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or the head of a large corporation. No buildings, or highways have been named in honor of me. I do not come from a long line of important people. And that is fine. God is unimpressed by likes, retweets, friends, or admirers.
Many years ago, I shared the movie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, based on the novel by Mitch Albom, with COS middle school students. My hope was to help these young people realize God uses all of us, even if we consider ourselves too young, too old, too ordinary. This movie illustrates how God uses an ordinary man named Eddie. Eddie is 83 years old and works as the maintenance manager at Ruby Pier amusement park. This story alternates between Eddie's encounters in Heaven and flashbacks in his past. Eddie feels that he never did anything meaningful in his life. The five people Eddie meets in Heaven show him he is wrong. He was meant to be at Ruby Pier to keep all the children safe on the rides. After watching this movie, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice if we all met someone during our lifetime that showed us how God had used us.
Many years later, as I retired from my job in a small medical office, God revealed he had listened to me. As people learned of my approaching departure, I was humbled as they shared how my ordinary encounters with them had positively impacted their day or their lives.
We are like grass — temporary, fleeting, momentary. We have one life to use, and the usefulness of that life depends not on our age, our title, or even how ordinary our life is. Dear God, help us remember that you will use our weakness and obscurity for Your glory. Amen
