Ryan's Ramblings

God’s Greatest Sign and Wonder… Is You

Jesus once told His disciples, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20, NIV)

We’re drawn to the spectacular—big stories, miracles, and testimonies that move us to tears. We long for worship that gives us goosebumps and prophetic words that stir our hearts. None of that is wrong. Much of it is good and beautiful. Signs and wonders are real—they stir faith, awaken awe, grab our attention, and glorify God. But here’s the truth: they’re never the point.

We live in a time—and a Christian culture—where power is treated as proof. The bigger the miracle, the more “spiritual” it feels. And while we rightly celebrate when God moves, Jesus never meant for our faith to rest on the dramatic.

When the seventy-two disciples returned from their mission, they were buzzing with excitement. God had moved through them. They had spoken with authority, healed the sick, and cast out evil in Jesus’ name. “Even the demons submit to us!” they said.

But Jesus gently redirected them. He affirmed what had happened—yet pointed them to something greater: “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
In other words: Joy isn’t in what you can do—it’s in whose you are.

Paul understood this. To believers in Rome—people he hadn’t even met—he wrote, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” (Romans 1:11–12, NIV)

The “spiritual gift” Paul longed to give wasn’t a dramatic display of power or a one-time miracle. It wasn’t even a message. It was his presence—offered in faith. The gift was the steady, Spirit-filled encouragement that comes through shared life, mutual trust, prayer, and love. In short, it was his walk with Jesus lived openly among them.

And that’s often how the Spirit works—not in spectacle, but in steady faith. Not only in signs, but in the slow, faithful work of love. The miracle isn’t always on a stage or in a church service. More often, it’s in how we show up—in our homes, workplaces, and everyday relationships. The most Spirit-filled gift we offer isn’t a word of prophecy or healing—it’s our life, offered in love, shaped by Jesus, and shared with one another.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus calls us His “witnesses”—those who carry His presence and speak His truth in the world. And in 2 Corinthians 5:20, the Apostle Paul says we are “ambassadors”—representatives of Christ, entrusted with His message as though God Himself were speaking through us. That’s not just a metaphor—it’s a mission.

The Lord uses signs and wonders to bless His people and bring glory to Himself. They are good and beautiful. They stir faith, awaken awe, and honor God. But the greatest witness to the world isn’t a stage, a platform, or a miraculous moment. It’s an ordinary, faithful life—a living, breathing, Jesus-shaped, Spirit-filled person who is humble, kind, courageous, and loving.

The world may crave spectacle. But in God’s economy, the greatest sign and wonder… is you.