The Lowest Common Denominator

For fifteen years or more, one of my favorite Bible teachers has been Joyce Meyer. These days, she’s easy to find, and easy to criticize. After all, she’s on TV, she’s wealthy, she’s had a facelift and a tummy tuck and who knows what else, and she wears some interesting clothes. I remember her, however, when her cassette tapes were recorded in such small meetings that individual coughs, laughs, and "amen’s" could clearly be heard; when TV was nothing more than a method for her husband to watch sporting events; and when her ministry was outgrowing the small office space it was renting. Her appeal was that she was the lowest common denominator. If God can take her and do this, one couldn’t help but believe, what might He be able to do with ME?

The Bible is loaded with examples of people who had been a total mess and then became great, but, unfortunately, we tend to romanticize their situations, and the tales lose their impact. We need some fresh stories—fresh inspiration—fresh reminders that God loves to confound the wise and powerful by means of the weak and foolish.

As the years have gone by, and I’ve watched couples who are increasingly younger than I am marry, I’ve been more and more inclined to think I was waiting for someone who was really amazing and wonderful. But there is this thing about the lowest common denominator.

I have become convinced, you see, that I am going to have a great marriage. I have also become convinced that I am not going to have a great marriage merely to ‘use it on my own pleasure,’ as James says, but to benefit others. I’m going to have a great marriage so that others can say, "If they can have a great marriage, then surely we can have a great marriage."

In order for that to be true, there must be a basis for easy comparison. There are couples who are on their second and third marriages. There are spouses with addictions and money troubles and health issues and … do I need to continue? Sure, it’s a wonderful thing to be an emotionally healthy individual marrying another emotionally healthy individual, but how often does that happen? The best picture most religious organizations can paint is of an ideal situation with which no one can identify.

We despise our weaknesses and our problems, but I intend for my weaknesses and my problems—and those of my own Mr. Right, when he comes along—to be a loud testimony and a brilliantly-painted picture of how wonderful life can be when one person is willing to believe God. I anticipate that two people who haven’t a rational expectation of even a good marriage will make some waves when they have a great marriage.

And if you have a big, bad, serious problem, take heart. You have become a lowest common denominator, so that you can become a shining example of God’s grace.

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