The Gift of Ordinary - Advent 1

The Advent Surprise of the Ordinary

If we were writing the Christmas story, Jesus would arrive in a palace, wrapped in royal silk, surrounded by important people who know how to pronounce His titles. But God chose something different. He chose a barn. He chose a feeding trough. He chose night-shift shepherds who smelled like sheep and hadn’t seen a shower in a while.

Here’s the Advent surprise: God doesn’t avoid the ordinary — He fills it.

God Delights in Ordinary People (Luke 2:8–14)

The first people to hear “good news of great joy” weren’t kings or influencers — they were shepherds. Poor, dusty, unnoticed workers pulling the night shift. Yet they are the ones surrounded by the radiance of God’s glory. Heaven didn’t tone down the celebration just because the audience was small. God didn’t skimp on the choir; He sent the whole host of angels.

Jesus arrives with humility, and God isn’t nearly as concerned with public recognition as we are. Jesus is just as interested in keeping up with you as He is with keeping up with the Kardashians. God starts the Christmas story by reminding us: No one is too ordinary for Him. No place is too small for His presence.

It reminds me of the time Mathew Williams offered Michael Perez his extra pair of sweatpants after Michael accidentally sat on a melted chocolate bar. The moment wasn’t glamorous, but it was full of kindness — the kind of love that shows up in the real, unfiltered, everyday parts of life. That’s exactly how Jesus arrives.

Ordinary Life Is Holy (Luke 2:15–18)

When the angels disappeared, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found exactly what they were told to expect: a baby in cloth, lying in a manger — the most human, quiet, normal moment imaginable.

The Incarnation in one sentence? Jesus didn’t escape the ordinary; He stepped into it.
He entered family life, work, routines, and responsibilities. Because He came this way, your everyday life isn’t spiritually second-class — it’s where God wants to dwell.

I’ve been thinking about this as we prepare for our first Thanksgiving in our new home. I’m genuinely looking forward to washing dishes afterward — not because I love scrubbing plates, but because God meets us in even the most routine corners of life.

The Ordinary Can Become Worship (Luke 2:19–20)

The shepherds found Jesus, worshipped Him, and then went back to their same sheep, same fields, same work — but not in the same way. They returned glorifying and praising God. The job didn’t change. They did.

Mary tucked the moment into her heart like a treasured keepsake. That’s the gift of the ordinary: it doesn’t have to change for God to transform you. When you start watching for Him in small moments, the everyday becomes worship.

Application

1. Embrace God in your routines.
   Dishes, commutes, work, classes — these aren’t interruptions to spiritual life. They are often the doorway to it.

2. Ask one daily question: “Where was your golden nugget today?”
   Growing up we asked this at dinner. Mining for gold is slow and tedious, but finding just one nugget can make the whole day shine.

3. Share ordinary joy with others.
   We assume moments aren’t “big” enough to share. But that’s the opposite of the Christmas story.
   Think of Emma, who confidently introduces herself to strangers just because she loves being who she is. What joy are you holding back because you don’t think it’s impressive enough?

Closing

God chose a manger, a small town, and night-shift workers. That wasn’t an accident — it was the message. When your life feels simple, unnoticed, or routine, remember: Christmas is for you.
God steps into the places we assume don’t matter. And the moment He arrives, those places become holy ground.

The ordinary is His gift. Look for Him — He’s already there.