Quotidian
2007 June 19
I like the word “quotidian.” Daily. Almost leaning into mundane.
On rare occasions we get a chance to do something radical for Jesus. Something out of the ordinary. Something where we put our lives on the line.
But most often, faithfulness is expressed in the mundane tasks of life. Meals prepared . . . lawns mowed . . . friends helped . . . prayers offered . . . appointments met . . . tears wiped . . . assemblies attended . . . games cheered . . . .
Don’t feel guilty that your life borders on mundane. That is where faith, hope, and love are most often lived out.
Hmmm. Some guys in our men’s group wanted to spend some time with Erwin McManus _Chasing Daylight_, which I guess used to be titled _Seizing Your Divine Moment_. It was exhausting to look at life as if every moment were somehow “it.” What you’re saying is that Christian discipleship is primarily a matter of steadiness and perseverance, not manic anticipation. I hope you’re right and McManus isn’t. qb
Mike,
Off subject here, but we all know your heart-felt devotion to the Cardinals. If you want to teach Chris some valuable attributes such as longsuffering, patience, etc., etc. I see that the Cubs are playing the Rangers this week in Texas! Who knows, he might get to see a good baseball game amongst the fighting matches!
A friend of mine wrote a book in which he said that “many are called to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way, and some are called to do extraordinary things in a way that seems ordinary.” I like that.
Another friend wrote a post a few days ago about how much of our “revolutionary / radical” language today fails to acknowledge the everyday, mundane, daily discipleship. The day-in, day-out stuff. That’s where the rubber meets the road.
(incidentally, I’m not sure our churches are doing enough to emphasize the daily worship that occurs outside the four walls … instead, there seems to be a premium put on the big, the radical, the flashy. Jesus said to follow, and that the path has a cross at the end. Who’s really up for that?)
Mankind honors those who do “big” things and yet it seemed that the example of the widow and her sacrifice was a pretty small thing to most. It was like Jesus was pointing saying..she gets it.
A couple of years ago I found the following and copied it out (sadly, I did not write down who wrote it) and have referred to it occasionally when I felt overwhelmed by the quotidian-ness of life.
“When we are children we hate drudgery. As we grow old we realize that we can find God in routine, the mundane, the toil of life and not somehow outside of it as if we could leave our bodies to meet him in nirvana. No, the beauty of God’s creation is that we meet him here where we are, in our longings, in our suffering, in our drudgery.”
I love that word, too. And it is so my life. Thank you.
Well I’m going to try to change my perspective as I set out to wash the dishes right now!
Steve,
Great comment!
reJoyce,
What you said about children vs maturity is certainly true.
I agree. And never forget that “a cup of cold water” may be the one kind deed that may cause a question and discussion about salvation.
Yes indeed, life does get daily!
What some call boring, other’s call love, commitment and real life.
“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” – John 21:25
I suspect at least a few of the things Jesus did while on earth would be considered mundane. Even the fact that much of the first 29 or so years were not recorded probably included a lot of mundane things. I am glad I don’t have to be a superhero for Jesus to relate to my life.
God could have sent Jesus in a flying saucer to totally impress and terrify everyone on the earth. Instead, Jesus arrived in the womb of an unwed girl, to a backwater Roman occupation where he grew up to walk practically wherever he went and touch people who were sick, lame, unclean and blind. He ate with sinners. He spent time on children. He loved the rich rulers and prostitutes equally. He got hot and hungry and lonely. We have no record that he was concerned about politics or status, nor even the Roman invasion of his native land. The greatest thing he ever did was end his life willingly for us. His great legacy on this earth was to love the masses of poor, weak, normal people. Occasionally, like us, they noticed. Sometimes, like us, they ignored, sometimes, they abused. Occasionally, he did astoundingly great things for people, only to have them questioned and condemned later. Those high-profile, radical events do happen, but they are the exception, not the rule. Even in the life of Jesus, the first 30+ years of his life don’t even get much press from Matthew, Mark, Luke nor John. What occupied his time? Was it converting the Roman and Greek authorities with his eloquent logic? No. Isn’t it possible that we are called more to make each encounter with another person great and not to make only the great encounters? There were so many radical, world-blowing things Jesus could have done, but didn’t. What is the message there?
It’s true, boring can be good. Not all of life can be lived at the peak of excitement.
Thanks for this, Mike. I believe that in almost every day, no matter who you are or where you are, there arise moments–usually unseen by others–when you face opportunities for heroic action, thought or expression. These moments come and go, often quickly. It is in these “routine” moments that we set our course in life and distinguish ourselves to the unseen observers who cheer us on. So much of life is not about what we do “professionally,” but who we decide to be in what may appear to be the “mundane” moments of life.
My status in life is pretty much “quotidian”—hence, “status quo”, right?
I noticed that the princes, William & Harry, seemed to long for a “quotidian” life in some of their conversation with Matt Lauer from the Today show. Their give and take with each other was so refreshingly normal & pleasing to witness.
Going back to qb’s comment:
“It was exhausting to look at life as if every moment were somehow “it.†What you’re saying is that Christian discipleship is primarily a matter of steadiness and perseverance, not manic anticipation. I hope you’re right and McManus isn’t. qb”
I hope so, too.
We do live in a sensationalized world. I guess that could tend to color our spiritual expectations as well.
Personally, right now, I am looking for some quiet pastures to restore my soul, not an adrenaline rush to deceive the senses.
hi preacher mike…
liked this post… i poped a bit of it on my blog with a big shout out to you… http://fireball.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/33269.html
look forward to reading more!
blessings,
claire