Ordinary people, ordinary acts, extraordinary results

This week I was reminded of how sometimes the things we do that might not seem like a big deal can have lasting impacts on others. For instance, when I first became a Christian at age 21, I was coming out of the world. In my resolve to follow Jesus, I had renounced my previous ways of entertainment and lawless living that I was so familiar with. This was a difficult time in my life. I knew in order to live out my new found faith, I needed to be in a new environment. What was a new twenty-one year old Christian to do on Saturday nights? Fortunately, the church my parents attended were beginning a new college age ministry. There were a few awkward meet and greets to begin with but after a few weeks, the teacher invited me and a few others to his house on Saturday nights to watch college football. This was a great time to get to know each other. Over a few more weeks more of our small class began to meet at his house on Saturday nights. One night, we had a new visitor. She was beautiful and had my attention. I made sure to talk with her before I left and set a date. Eventually we married and now have our own family. Another couple met at these gatherings on Saturday nights and are now married as well. All this happened because of a selfless act of an ordinary teacher who opened his home after working all day.  

Another instance I learned of this week involves my uncle. He joined the peace corp and taught science in Africa. One of the many students he taught was a kid named John Dramani Mahama. He eventually became the president of Ghana. You can hear more of this story here. My uncle had an incredible impact by doing a seemingly ordinary act. 

There are many more stories I could share about people who have impacted others in a positive way by doing ordinary mundane acts of service. I'm sure you can recall several yourself. Most of the time these acts of service don't seem glorious, they aren't in the limelight, they require sacrifice, and more times than not we don't see the fruit until way down the road. But I'm learning it's all worth it.