Ordinary, Yet Highly Valued

“And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:15).

Jesus sent 72 (or 70, as some manuscripts say) of His disciples out in pairs to the places He was set to visit (Luke 10). He instructed them to pray for more workers and to prepare the towns ahead of His travels. His disciples were to become familiar with the locals, heal the sick, and preach the gospel. Jesus told them, “Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road” (Luke 10:3-4). He knew His disciples would encounter opposition, but He was teaching them to trust God for His provision vs. their own.

These disciples were unnamed—not part of the original 12. Yet, Jesus highly valued them for their willingness to go. They were regular people who had never been to seminary school or had formal training but were on fire for Christ. HE KNEW each one of them by name! It takes more than just pastors and a few committed workers to do the work that needs to be done in the world for Christ. God gives the task of reaching people to us, His Church—the body of Christ. The entire ministry of Jesus took place not far from where He grew up. He was spreading the gospel and performing miracles amongst people that had technically been His neighbors. Today, He commissions us– untrained, ordinary people to do the same!

Guiding Points:

Call to Action: Jesus knows us all by name and values the work we do for Him as he commissioned us to do. Being part of our local communities, how can we be the hands and feet of Jesus in our own areas?

“My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank You for Your goodness to us! We want to be Your hands and feet in the world today, showing Your love and mercy to others. Use us to make a difference in our local communities and wherever You open doors for us to go in Your name. We want to be on fire for You and to serve others with the same passion and fierce commitment that many disciples had before us. Open our hearts and ears to hear Your voice and to go when called. In Your precious name, we pray, Amen!

Final Thought: Sharing the gospel with the world not only grows the Kingdom but helps our relationship with God become more deeply rooted.