Lydda, Sharon, Joppa, Cincinnati?

At the end of Acts 9 we read about the healing of 2 different people - Aeneas and Dorcas. But the impact goes way past these two individuals.

Aeneas, a paralytic, is healed and the result is huge - "All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord." Even if we count for a little exaggeration (in the Bible !?!), and assume that every single person in those towns did not turn to the Lord, it was still a number far greater than just those healed or just those present.

Dorcas lived and died in the next town over, Joppa. As timing would have it, the dying came right after Aeneas was healed and people knew who to call. After Dorcas is raised from the dead, Luke becomes more subdued and simply states, "this became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord." Not the whole town, but not too bad either.

Peter is doing big things. Such big things that entire towns and cities stand up and take notice. Was he acting simply to serve and save Aeneas and Dorcas or did he and God have bigger plans? Their actions were for the individuals, but also for the whole community.

What are we doing to get the whole town to stand up and take notice? How are we changing lives in such a way as to impact the whole city? What would it take to make a whole town turn to the Lord? What's stopping us from making these moves?

Just plain ordinary. However...

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

He is an ordinary man, but he's been with Jesus.

Is there a better compliment?

Who in your life would you describe this way?

What do I need to do (or stop doing) or say (or stop saying) or be (or stop being) to become a man you would describe this way?