Plain and Simple

Select three common objects in your car, your home, or your office. I choose a wooden spoon, my ink pen, and the ash tray in my car that collects coins. Nothing too spiritually significant there. These objects don't have much importance to me at first thought. But, as I consider many of the women in the Bible who were commended for their faith in action, I'm reminded that the ordinary became grounds for the extraordinary because of obedient hearts.

There was Mary, mother of Jesus. She was a young woman, initially naive to the Lord's great plan for her as a part of the Savior's life. She was simple and faithful, a woman with an obedient heart who said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be done to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38 NIV).

Secondly, there was Martha. Once corrected by Jesus in her irritation at her sister, Martha continued as a servant in the kitchen, practicing hospitality. No wonder Jesus went to the home of these familiar friends as one of his last stops before being crucified in Jerusalem. On this last stop with friends, Martha is not rebuked, for her heart has been corrected. "Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served..." (John 12:1-2 NIV)

The last example is from the book of Judges. It was often the women's role during the time of the Judges to set up the tents that a nomadic family lived in. Jael's arms and hands were acclimated to the practice of nailing tent pegs into the ground. Jael took the tools she was familiar with to practice obedience to God's will, killing the enemy king who was fleeing from Israel's military leader. Her hospitality and bravery gave her opportunity to use the hammer and tent peg that were a familiar part of her life. Jael received the honor of Israel's victory because she was willing to use what she had for God's glory. (To see the whole story, visit Judges 4.)

My challenge to us as women, is to faithfully and thankfully work with the Spirit of God to produce obedience through all things, even through the most simple and seeming insignificant objects and opportunities. Are you in on the daily adventure?

© 2006 by Kendra Hinkle.