Renae Brumbaugh is a bestselling author, award-winning humor columnist, and freelance writer.
I’m married to a regular guy. I call him Superman. The nickname is my way of describing him—he’s amazing. He’s one of those rare people who does everything well. He can design and build a house, compose music, fix cars and do just about anything that needs to be done. And he’s kind. He’s always quick to help others, whether they need access to his trailer to move furniture or need someone to fix their broken-down vehicle. He sounds like a fictional rom-com hero, but I assure you he is a real, flesh-and-blood person.
Perhaps his most impressive quality is his humility. He truly seems to care more about others than himself. Every time I tell him how great he is, he responds with, “I’m just a regular guy.” He doesn’t get how special he is, and that’s part of what makes him so incredible.
I’ve noticed that the people who try to be impressive are often focused more on themselves than on others. I’m not judging—I’ve been guilty of wanting others to think the best of me and worrying too much about their perceptions. If I’m not careful, I’ll overlook their needs and miss opportunities to bless them because I’m too wrapped up in myself.
There was a guy in the Bible named Epaphroditus. (I doubt he ever found his name on a gift-shop keychain.) He wasn’t a preacher or a prophet or a teacher. He was just a regular guy, like me or you. But he was extraordinary in his character. When Paul was in prison, the people in the Philippian church sent Epaphroditus with a gift for Paul. They asked him to stay and help Paul out in whatever way was needed.
While he was there, he got really sick and almost died. When he recovered, his extraordinary character went on display once again—this regular guy wasn’t concerned about himself. He was worried about his family and friends back home, because he knew they’d be worried about him.
A lot of regular people are reading this right now. You work at regular jobs. You’ll never be famous or independently wealthy. But trust me, it’s not the big-shots that keep the world running. It’s the quiet, behind-the-scenes, in-the-shadows workers who make the biggest difference. You keep the cogs turning. You bring the dinners when somebody’s sick or grieving. You help your buddies— and even strangers—move their furniture into the moving van. You make someone’s day a little better by offering a smile and a kind word.
This article is dedicated to all the regular people who make life better for the rest of us. It’s dedicated to those who, like Epaphroditus, just want to help in whatever way they can, and do so with a quiet, humble spirit. You are the true heroes of the age. What you do is important. You are important.
Thank you.
“But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.” Philippians 2:25-27.
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