Spectacular breakthroughs usually arrive in the midst of mundane faithfulness. Our attention is often drawn to the spectacular moments in a person’s life, but what rarely shows up on their Facebook page are the countless mundane hours of showing up, day after day, doing exactly what God asks of them.
This was entirely true for Jesus. The Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus’ miracles, profound teachings, and incredible moments. But we often miss the mundane faithfulness that surrounded those incredible acts.
For instance, in today’s passage a paralyzed man is lowered through a hole in a roof cut by his tenacious friends. Jesus miraculously heals this man and the bystanders are “filled with awe [for they have] seen remarkable things” (Luke 5.26).
But what we often miss are the words that introduce this narrative, “One day Jesus was teaching…” (Luke 5.17a). Jesus was doing what he did everyday: steadily and thoroughly explaining the Bible to a listening crowd. In the midst of his faithful routine, Jesus has opportunities to display God’s incredible power.
Consider your own routine of faithfulness. Make a list of the most important roles you need to perform today. Next to each, write out what it looks like to step into that role with routine faithfulness and in such a way that God is honored as the Lord of your life.
May we honor God in the small things so our character might be formed as we bring glory to God.
