Boring, by Michael Kelley

As Michael Kelley says, his publisher must have really believed in him to publish a book called "Boring." The cover is perfect, the doodles of a student bored with a droning lecture in the napping hours after lunch.  Far from being boring, Boring: Finding an Extraordinary God in an Ordinary Life is one of the most encouraging books I've read in a long time.

It's easy for all of us as Christians to get caught up in the extraordinary.  Whether it's a desire to emulate the heroes of the faith and "do great things for God," or the desire to experience God in worship or to see miracles happen, we may "find ourselves bowing down to the idol of excitement all while claiming to be seeking after the living God."  Kelley encourages us to remember that God is present and active in our everyday, boring lives and choices.

The ordinary things we do, going to work, being a parent (As Kelley says, "Parenthood is a massive series of monotonous and repeated tasks."), attending church (even when the worship is far from inspiring and the preacher drones), tithing, all are ordinary but we should learn to view them in light of an extraordinary God.  He is present and active when we're folding laundry, sitting on the expressway, changing a diaper, mowing the lawn.

Kelly writes:

A regular life isn't just a series of physical times and moments strung together; it's a progression of being formed into the image of Jesus.  A casual conversation isn't just a series of words between friends; ins an interaction between beings made in the image of God.  A marriage isn't just a contract between two people; it's a walking, talking illustration of the reality of the gospel.  Parenting isn't just teaching kids to be good citizens; it's seeing our children as arrows of light shot into darkness.  And finances aren't just a few bucks here and there; they are the window into what we love and what we believe.

So it's a change of perspective.  Miracles happen, and some Christians do amazing things and have books written about them.  But that's not the norm.  It's doubtful I'll have a book written about me.  I may do some great works.  But here's what God expects of me: "Do the next right thing. . . . Do that which you know is from God, and keep doing it, one choice at a time." It reminds of the famous quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, "that there should be a long obedience in the same direction."

I liked this book overall, but one story stands out and illustrates Kelley's point exceptionally well.  You may be familiar with the story of Jim Elliot, the missionary who was martyred in Ecuador in 1956.  The deaths of Elliot and his companions have inspired many, including me--I named my oldest son Elliot in honor of Jim Elliot.  But I had never heard of Jim's brother Bert.  Bert and his wife were missionaries in Peru before Jim went to Ecuador.  And there they stayed, for over 60 years, until Bert's death in 2012.  Faithfulness.  A life of living in obedience and dying to self, every day for 6 decades.  Bert described Jim's life as a "great meteor, streaking through the sky."

The kingdom of God can use streaking meteors, but that is not the plan of God for everyone.  Most of us will be "faint stars. . . . We will go through life, day after day, doing very much the same thing tomorrow that we did today." To do the next right thing.  Then the next.  Even when it's boring.  And knowing that "there is no such thing as ordinary when you follow an ordinary God."

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!