My title is Ordinary People vs Extraordinary God.

A number of years ago the “rage” in Christianity was what I will call “the cult of self-image.” First, I need to say that I am not opposed to people, especially young people, having a good self-image. We have way too many young people (and adults) who have a self-image that stinks. But I think it was taken too far.

Let me illustrate. I once knew a family-the Doe’s- who had two children, John and Jane. Both were nice kids. They even liked me! 🙂  But mom and dad bought into the cult of self-image. John and Jane were extraordinary. They could do no wrong. They were pushed to be the top of everything (except sports). Mom was definitely very OC and pushed her above-average-striving-for-perfectionism on them. Remember I said they could do no wrong? Not in their parent’s eyes. Whenever something happened it was never John or Jane’s fault. John was going to be a doctor (they said so…he bought it). Oh, I forgot to tell you their age. He was barely into Junior High School and she was several years behind. Sadly, the cult of self-image became him and her. John was older so he adopted the “prima dona” mentality. She was still fairly innocent at the time but moving that way. To this day I have no clue what happened to either of them. Mom had surgery; went off on a hyper-charismatic tangent and the family left the church.

I use that illustration to make a point. Christ-followers, especially parents, have bought into the cult of self-image, i.e. my kid is the best and I’m going to keep telling him or her that until it is part of their psyche.

I once read of a club of boys who made up simple rules: “Nobody act big. Nobody act small. Everybody act medium.” Truth is we are all ordinary people who happen to serve an extraordinary God. I’m nobody special. Don’t put me or anyone else on a pedestal. To do so sets up a huge fall. When we stop thinking we are “all that and more” our lives will change. Only then will we be able to make much of God’s name. There’s only room for one at the top: Him or me. I don’t belong there.

“Father, You are the extraordinary God who uses ordinary people. I am not better than anyone else or visa versa. I’m still a work in progress. Mold me to your desire.”