I’ve been re-reading Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper. It was interesting to read in her introduction that she wanted to call the book “Ordinary Women and Their Extraordinary God,” but apparently it would not have been appealing to women because many of us don’t like to be thought of as ordinary, so the title was changed. I agree with Noel, and find it very reassuring to know that God works with the ordinary. With me.

Being called ‘faithful’ is wonderful, and it’s a quality that we must own if we are to be used by God for his purposes. But the question remains: why don’t we women like to be thought of as ordinary? Men undoubtedly don’t either, but I suspect that we supersede them in our quest for something more. Must we be ‘extra’ in some way? Women’s magazines certainly tell us so. We’re to believe we’re special, beautiful, “worth it,” sexy, successful, talented and deserving of whatever our hearts desire. If we don’t feel that way, we’re to make it our number one goal to take care of Number One so we get there. In Christian magazines, the same message is padded with the rationale that unless we feel good about ourselves, we can’t take care of others.

Here’s the definition of ordinary: not uncommon or exceptional; not remarkable. That doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? Goodness, what would that do to our self-esteem?

How about this one: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” Philippians 2:5-8. In light of contemporary thought, Jesus needed major work on his self-esteem!

My point is this. If we’re following Jesus’ example, we’re not going to balk at being described as ordinary. We will spend little time examining our opinion of ourselves or even what others think of us. The women whose stories are told in the book—Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare—were imperfect, ordinary women who trusted their extraordinary God, and they expected him to use them for his glory. There was effort and paying attention that was part of their faithfulness, but it was not to themselves. Lilias Trotter wrote:

It is easy to find out whether our lives are focused, and if so, where the focus lies. Where do our thoughts settle when consciousness comes back in the morning? Where do they swing back when the pressure is off during the day?….Dare to have it out with God…and ask Him to show you whether or not all is focused on Christ and His glory….

How do we bring things to a focus in the world of optics? Not by looking at the things to be dropped, but by looking at the one point that is to be brought out. Turn your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.

That sounds to me like a woman who is content to know that God is the extraordinary, esteemed one. Her delight is in him, and serving him. Her words remind me of the words from an old song, Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth (especially me, you!) will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.