When Obedience Looks Ordinary

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Years ago, when I was a youth leader, we watched a video on serving God. The speaker challenged the watchers to write a “blank check” check to God. He meant, of course, that they should be willing to surrender all.

I am pretty sure I wrote about it at the time. The implication was that we should be willing to do “great things” for God. But I remember thinking that for many of us, God calls us to things that are quite ordinary. Nursery duty and greeting people at the door are still important acts of service. Going to work and raising a family are important ways to serve him. If we truly write a “blank check” to God, we need to be prepared to do humble things for him.

I’ve been thinking about God’s will lately. In young adulthood, we have questions about who to marry and what careers to pick. In middle age, the questions are more about what to do in the time we have left. We still need to be willing to slide the “blank check” over to God, and we still have to be willing to follow regardless of how humble the answer is.

God’s Will Often Requires Sacrifice

We tend to think of sacrificing all to God as some sort of full-time service. And that is a noble cause. But sometimes the sacrifice is being a faithful employee in a boring job. Or being kind to an annoying neighbor. These small things may be unnoticed by the world, but they are not unnoticed by the Savior.

God’s Will Is Often Difficult

There is sometimes an implication that if “doors open,” that we are in God’s will. And while it’s true that God often does create opportunities in surprising ways, sometimes we have to be diligent and patient. In my own life, I have had opportunities that were surprising and effortless, and some that required years of hard work. I learned something every time.

God’s Will Is Often Ordinary

Another misconception is that unless it’s a crazy risk, it’s not an act of faith. As I said above, God does sometimes call us to unexpected things. But for many of us, it’s daily counting the cost and making the most logical choice. It may be as simple as picking a career that aligns with your abilities that pays a decent salary. It’s not glamorous or crazy, but it’s faithful.

As I remember the kids who were likely there for the video I mentioned, one of the students and two of the leaders are now in full-time foreign missions. Our church enthusiastically supports them. The rest of the kids are now employees, spouses, and parents. Several of them are serving as youth leaders and leading kids in the same room where we watched that video all those years ago. Some of them I have lost track of. Some of them are still searching. All of them are made in the image of God, and God wishes all of them—and all of us—to follow him faithfully, wherever that may be.

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