06/02/2026
+NEW SERIES+ What if I'm Just Average?
Some time ago, while reading Jesus’ parable of the talents, a genuinely terrifying question occurred to me: What if I’m just average? What struck me was the way Jesus portrays the world as one in which some are, seemingly arbitrarily, entrusted with far more than others. Translated into modern terms, it’s hard not to see family of origin, nurture, nature, and a host of other factors well beyond our control coming into view. Ever since, I’ve been wrestling with how one is meant to live in light of that reality.
The quick, and perhaps too easy, answer is to shift our focus from greatness to faithfulness. To confront our pride, and, as it’s said in The Bark of the Bog Owl, “live the life that unfolds before you.”
With that in mind, this June we’re going to spend a few weeks deepening our response to that question, following along with the lectionary readings from the Gospel according to Matthew. Beginning in Matthew 9, with the call of Matthew himself, I think we can discover a kind of playbook, one that helps us live honestly within our averageness while remaining deeply engaged and committed to the work God has placed before us.
My intention, for my own study as well as for any opportunities to teach about averageness, is to find a path that sustains motivation and a healthy pride in one’s work, while loosening the grip of pride on myself. How do we care deeply about our vocational pursuits without succumbing to the cult of celebrity? I do not expect these reflections to be the final word on the matter, but they will be the next ones.
Week 1: Gifting Curiosity - June 7, 2026 (Matthew 9:9-13)
Jesus “saw” Matthew. On the surface, it’s an almost innocuous phrase, but life itself reveals its profound significance. Jesus was somebody. He had immense work ahead of him. Yet even amid it all, his presence allowed him to pay attention to individuals. In a real sense, he did for Matthew what I imagine he desired to do for everyone: he saw him.
One of the greatest gifts we can ever give another is curiosity—real, genuine, and time-consuming curiosity. Perhaps the call of Matthew puts this on display. Jesus could have summoned him coldly, without context. Instead, his invitation suggests that he truly knew Matthew; because he saw him, he could invite him into a new purpose.
If this is true, it helps me recover from my own preoccupation with greatness. The real call, it seems, is to be attentive to the people already in my life.
In what ways is God calling you to practice localized, humble, curiosity?
Onward!
Adam
