His men or disciples were ordinary people from different backgrounds, not of noble profession. Yet Jesus saw a purpose in their ordinary life. Even Jesus prioritized prayer before choosing them. Luke 6:12-19
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!And here I am, less than ordinary, writing about the ordinary people used by God.
The story of Acts reminds us that God’s purpose unfolds over time, often through small, faithful steps. It is a continuation of the Great Commission mentioned in the Gospel of John 20:19-23 and Matthew 28:19
Now, reading the scripture regularly is one of those steps – a quiet way of staying attentive to what God is doing and how he may be inviting you to respond.
As an ordinary person, having trusted insights beside every passage of the scripture, is a connected story unfolded, revealing the kingdom harvest and Kingdom of God – the past, present, and future.
Ordinary people in the OT:
Now, let us get a sneak peek into the Old Testament, where the willingness and obedience of the person become extraordinary qualities. From Abraham to Moses to David, the bible is full of imperfect and catastrophic failures, yet God uses them anyway.
Moses was just a stammering person running away in the land of Midian, but when he surrendered what was in his hand, God used him to deliver his people.
Gideon was an ordinarily cowardly person who hid in the winepress, doing his business so that the enemies might loot his daily bread. Yet when the Lord strengthened him to defeat the mighty enemies in his name.
When people and his parents saw David as a young shepherd simply tending to flocks, God saw a king from whom God established a lineage for kings to come.
Ordinary people in the NT:
Just before Jesus ascended, he told his disciples that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit and become witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
What follows is not a carefully managed plan, but the story of how God worked through ordinary people to spread the gospel far beyond what they could have imagined.
This is part of the story of Acts that is so meaningful. It shows that God’s work isn’t limited by background, reputation, or past mistakes.
In today’s world, many would miss out on the opportunity because of their position, status, and hierarchical setup in the communities. There were a whole lot of thinkers, philosophers, Pharisees, and Sadducees at the time.
The transformation:
The gospel of Christ Jesus moves forward through transformation—and through people willing to follow where God leads. It is the most powerful and important step for ordinary people to be used by God.
When the Holy Spirit arrived, they were empowered to take the gospel message from Jerusalem, the hub of the Jewish faith, and spread it among the Gentiles throughout the known world.
Peter and John emerge as a key leadership duo in the early church, working closely together to spread the Gospel, perform miracles, and face persecution. They are prominently featured in Acts 3-4, where they heal a crippled man and boldly testify before the Sanhedrin.
One of the most striking examples of this movement is the conversion of Saul. Known for persecuting followers of Jesus, Saul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus changes everything. Acts 9
Sometimes God has to stop us in our tracks to get his point across… God can use anyone for his plans—even someone who wanted to kill his followers.
Most ordinary person:
God doesn’t need our ability, but rather our availability. He uses ordinary people who have nothing of their own to offer, but their faithfulness and willingness to obey God.
The lists were aplenty, the ones that often did not speak much nor have good grades during our school days were often empowered by the spirit of God. The sons and daughters of the farmers, and from all backgrounds, akin to the unlikely job of their ancestors and families.
Kamkhozam, my grandfather, the least to be included, was in his 20s when he started attending school, but he saw a turning point in a revival crusade. He left his everything to serve his savior throughout his life.
From what I heard and saw, he was just an ordinary person strengthened in the spirit to face the seasons of life and challenges in spreading the gospel. One of his favorite verses was, ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13
By the grace of God, he lived a good hundred years before he rested in the arms of his savior last year, 2025. Everything in God’s hand becomes usable. He is the potter, and we’re the clay. Jeremiah. 18:1-6
Our sufferings, my chronic sufferings specifically due to my poor health, how I wish God would use them for expanding his kingdom coming. 1 Pet. 5:10
