Sunday Evening, July 6, 2008, 

Sunday evening, Brother Joe brought a lesson from Mark 12:37 about “The Common Man.”  In this passage, we read how it was the common people who accepted what Jesus had to say while the “elite”, the scribes and Pharisees resisted Him.  What characterizes a common person?  One who is approachable, full of humility, equal with others, doesn’t think too highly of himself, and is teachable.  Common has nothing to do with wealth or possessions and everything to do with attitude.  A rich person can be “common” if they handle their possessions properly.  A genius or well respected person can also be common.  On the other hand, an “uncommoner” doesn’t have to be rich or have a high worldly position to be so.  It’s all about attitude.  An uncommon person thinks too highly of himself, is proud, refuses to listen and learn.  The Bible calls this “heady and high minded”.   

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble – the common man.  God cannot teach the uncommon person.  He is stuck in tradition, rigid and unyielding in his beliefs, just like the Pharisees.  It is usually the common folks who are quick to see Jesus and grasp a hold as He gives new understanding or leads to new ground.  Just as Samuel told Saul, when we are “little in our own eyes”, God can use us.  It is when we are humble that we recognize our great need of Him.  This is when faith grows in our heart.  But when we become proud, we begin to exhibit the sins mentioned in Proverbs that God hates – pride, lies, discord, etc. 

How careful we all must be to remain “common” and pliable in God’s hands.