What drives a person to want to accomplish something from ordinary to the extraordinary?
I think of those who compete at the Olympics – the months and even years of grueling training and stiff discipline for a chance to win the coveted and prestigious gold medal. Or the ones who rise to the challenge to win $1,000,000 and the title of “American Ninja Warrior?” What motivates these athletes to prove their strength and competency beyond the average? What is their mission if it is not to take hold of the prize, the fame, the sense of accomplishment from ordinary to the extraordinary?
When I was in college, the thought of repelling down a 300 foot cliff 
never occurred to me. It did, however, occur to my daughter. Rene’ had joined the ROTC while in college and her mission was to repel down Palisades Head on Lake Superior. She trained. She disciplined herself motivated by obedience to the command in order to complete her training in the ROTC. Ordinary to the extraordinary!
Skydiving holds as much attraction for me as it would for a mole to go 
into orbit in a space ship. But, my sister Gayle, my grandson, Michael, and my granddaughter, Kari, did just that. They parachuted out of an airplane cruising at 100 mph at an elevation of 13,000 feet. Gayle was motivated by her desire to overcome fear of height. Michael and Kari were motivated to meet the challenge of the ordinary – flying in a plane to the extraordinary – jumping out of a plane! Training was minimal which took place shortly before takeoff, but the determination to take the ordinary to the extraordinary was great.
And how about Jesus? What mission was He on the reason He would leave His throne in glory to come to earth? He, tells us. “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) Mission accomplished! Now, I am included personally in Jesus’ mission and therefore, I am immediately interested – intrigued even. What purpose could Jesus possibly have to do such a thing – to die a horrible death on a cross? Again, He answers the question. ” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give them eternal life and they will never perish.” (John 10:27-28)
He did it all to the extreme – the training, the work, the pain, the discipline, 
the obedience. And what was His motivation? “…for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame…” (Hebrews 12:2) He did this for me! For you! Not his own glory or fame or prize money or sense of accomplishment or to overcome fear. Nothing for His own gratification, but all for the salvation of man.
For someone to accomplish a feat that is out of the ordinary, that requires training and discipline, is admirable and noteworthy, for sure. But when One Man accomplishes something that has benefits for the entire human race, that definitely becomes attention-getting and most glorious and stands out as extreme – incomprehensible – way above ordinary to the extraordinary!