JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE

Not many "great" people walk on this earth,

Destined, it seems, to be famous from birth;

No, most of the people that you and I see

Are just ordinary people, like you and like me.

Not many "great" people, in the worldly sense,

Will make it to heaven, their sins recompensed;

No, most of the people in heaven will be

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

Not many "great" people, by whatever name,

Will surrender themselves, give up worldly fame

To serve Jesus who died to set all men free,

Even ordinary people, like you and like me.

Not many "great" people will enter that gate

That leads into glory, the narrow and straight;

Nay, the most who will enter by that way will be

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

Now there are some great people 

with their names in God's Book,

Those who, by choice, the world's way forsook,

Who surrendered to Jesus and decided to be

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

For greatness, you see, is by Jesus defined

As willingness to leave all the world's things behind

To give service to others, from sin be set free;—

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

It's not through the "great" that Jesus Christ works,

But the meek and the humble, as He builds His church

Of the repentant sinners His blood has set free; —

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

Just ordinary people like you and like me

Will reign with King Jesus for eternity,

For all the great people in heaven will be

Just ordinary people, like you and like me.

a. franklin staples

December 20-21, 1993

Copyright © 1993 by A. Franklin Staples