By “ordinary people” I mean people who are considered average or normal by the society they live in.  Jesus chose His 12 Apostles from ordinary people.  Peter and some of the others were fishermen.  Matthew was a tax collector.  The apostles had their weaknesses and doubts and peculiarities just like any other ordinary men.  They didn’t understand many of the teachings of Jesus until after His resurrection.  Peter even denied Christ 3 times.  The apostles pretty much remained ordinary men as long as Jesus was on earth, but look what happened when they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-8, 38-47).  Peter was the same man he was when he denied Christ, with one exception:  he had repented and after much prayer he was filled with the Holy Spirit. 

 

  Later, we wee what happened when the Holy Spirit convicted Saul of Tarsus of his sins.  Saul was a very energetic persecutor of Christians, but after he became filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul became possibly the greatest preacher of all time.  A present day example of what God can do with an ordinary man is Billy Graham.  When he was in college a girlfriend broke up with him because she said he had no ambition and he would never amount to anything.  He has preached to more people than anyone in history. 

 

  It is good to study what the Holy Spirit has done for others, but what about us?  What can the Holy Spirit do with us?  He can do anything we will let Him do.  What do we want for the church we attend, and what do we want individually?  If we can agree on anything, we can do it (Matthew 18: 10-20).  What can God do with ordinary people today?  I am convinced that God never made an ordinary man or woman.  Each person is created differently.  Each person is special enough that God gave His only Son and Jesus gave His life for us.  Each one of us was created for a specific purpose that no one but us can fulfill.    Our responsibility as Christians is great.  If God calls us to do something he will give us the means to do it.

 

 Billy Heatherington

 Written October 15, 1986