Vessels Suitable for God's Use
For the most part, if you are going to succeed in this world, qualifications go a long way to opening the doors for success. In order to have a successful career, you almost always need a college education and some experience in the field in which you desire to work. I don't know any employer who doesn't require its applicants to at least complete a job application in order to obtain references and prior working experience--all in order to evaluate whether the applicant is suitable to work in this field. While the world requires its work force to be qualified in order to work, God has only one simple requirement to work for Him--Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even in the Christian world, man still requires a resume or qualifications just to serve in the church. I remember hearing of a church with a large membership that had lost their pastor and the remaining leaders were searching for suitable candidates to fill the vacancy. In an effort to produce a sizable number of applicants, they placed advertisements in church publications--with a list of what they believed would be suitable qualifications for their new pastor. One young member of the search committee objected to the extensive list of qualifications, arguing that it went way beyond even what the Bible required for church leaders.
A few weeks into the search, they had interviewed several potential candidates and were reviewing a stack of resumes submitted. As one leader read from a page, he began to laugh out loud. When asked what was so funny, the leader, an elder for many years, said, "I can't believe this guy thinks he could be pastor of our church." Attempting to ridicule the applicant's resume, he then began reading from the page. "As you will see, here we have a really qualified candidate. This guy has never been to seminary, and his only formal instruction was in the Old Testament. He used to persecute, beat, abuse, and harass Christians. He was saved as an adult while travelling for his work. His only ministry work has involved being an evangelist where he traveled from city to city, preaching and frequently causing riots and eventually being thrown in prison several times. He even admits that he isn't a good speaker at all, and that the devil attacks him all the time. The only writings he's ever done are a series of letters to the churches he helped start. Everywhere he went, many people seemed to hate him and want him dead as he's been beaten and thrown out of town by local officials."
The man tossed the paper down with a disgusted look on his face. "This must be some sort of a joke. Our new pastor," he laughed, "a radical, rebel-rousing jail-bird preacher."
Several of the others chuckled and joked with him, but the lone man spoke up and asked, "What does he say to the last question? Why does he think he's qualified to be our pastor?"
The elder stopped chuckling with the others and picked up the paper again. He read, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
The laughs halted and were quickly followed by whispers throughout the room. The young man stood and addressed the group. "All you men have laughed and ridiculed this man's resume, but I'd like to tell you who this resume belongs to. It belongs to the apostle Paul."
The Bible says: For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That, according as is it written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. [1 Corinthians 1: 26-31]
God doesn't call the qualified, but qualifies the called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. [Romans 8: 30] Let us take solace in the fact that we weren't God's first choice to be called. But know this...King David wasn't God's first choice (Saul was chosen king first), but he was Israel's greatest warrior and king; the apostle Paul wasn't God's choice to be one of the twelve, but he was perhaps the greatest apostle and wrote over 1/2 of the New Testament. God doesn't get glory from using someone qualified. Rather God gets glory from using someone like the apostle Paul, whose only instruction about Christ came from the Lord Himself--and not from teaching of the original apostles. Moses was a killer; Abraham, a liar; Jacob, a thief, and Joseph was a slave, but it didn't prohibit God from using them.
Don't let man's qualifications hinder you from fulfilling God's calling in your life. None of us "qualify" to be usable by God, but in Christ we become chosen vessels. The only qualifications you need is faith and a willingness to serve Him.
Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven. I confess that You require nothing but faith in order to use someone for Your purposes. The fact that You use me as a vessel has nothing to do with my own qualifications and righteousness, but has everything to do with what Jesus did for me. Lord, I declare myself to be a willing vessel to be used by You for accomplishing Your purposes on earth. By faith, I surrender my body for Your purposes and hereby promise to give You glory for anything that is done by You through me. In Jesus' name. Amen.
