Are you average?

I am an average woman. I don't really stand out - average; height, build, weight and I lead a pretty average life. 

Now, that probably doesn't sound very exciting or unique does it?! But, can we be content to be average? 

This world invites us to be the best. Be the top at something, have a pretty physical figure, or a pretty figure for an income. We are encouraged to find out what makes us stand out. Lets face it, most of us are not gifted in the brain department like Einstein, or gifted like Mother Theresa in compassion. The majority of us are not stand out types, we are average. 

Now, I am not trying to downplay myself or anyone else. I would say I'm average. The question I want to ask is - is it ok to be average? 

Many people aspire for more, there seems to be discontent with being average, I wonder why. Should I be content to be average? Or should I be striving for something more?

So, I started to think about people from the Bible who were average people. These average people impacted their families, communities and even nations. Not so bad being average then huh? Lets have a look at some of those people; 

Moses, an ordinary guy working as a shepherd, as did David. Ruth, an ordinary lady, working her hardest to provide for herself and her mother-in-law. Paul, a tent maker, working with other tent makers, moving around and making money. Yet, these people are not remembered for these things. I love that this same Paul in one letter says this, "I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing." 

2 Corinthians 12:11. 

It's like he recognises that he's not anyone special, but he's also not less than anyone else - he is average.

Yes, we are not at all inferior to anyone else, we are all individually handcrafted by God. There is no-one else in the world like you, but also, you are probably pretty average. You are no less than anyone else, even though you are also nothing - What a paradox! 

Paul is right. We are no less than the best of the human race, even though we can all quite readily admit that we are also nothing special. We are average human beings, living average human lives. 

Yet....

Looking at history, current events and examples from the Bible we see so many average people who are involved in transforming lives. Whether it be; a moment of kindness, a spur of the moment donation, a smile, working hard with integrity. These things make a mighty difference to the lives of others. 

You may not even know it, but the impact of how you lead your everyday, average life, can impact many. 

Paul, a tent maker, working, making a living, spurred churches onwards in their faith. Ruth, working hard to gather enough food to eat, married one of the richest guys around and became an ancestor of Jesus. She never knew this would happen. Living her life with integrity clearly impacted generations to come. 

Moses, looking after the family sheep, gets invited to lead a whole nation! 

David, the youngest in his family, taking care of the sheep, not even invited to a celebration, eventually became a King! 

Looking at the lives of these people, they started out pretty average. They got on with what life gave them, they worked hard, treated others well, they were content with the life they had. They may of hoped and dreamed of other things, but God found them in their average lives. 

Your life, however average or not it is, will impact the generations to come. You impact your family and community merely by your presence. What do those around you see in you? What are you leaving for the generations to come? 

My Nan had a massive impact on my life. Yet she was old, mainly in a wheelchair, in and out of hospital. What I remember of her is the time, the conversations, the care and the love that she showed me. Her life is still impacting me now. 

Your life will leave marks on those around you.

Your everyday average life has the power to impact generations!