Deplorables
It is always great to mark another birthday in light of where I found myself three years ago. This morning it was a delight to have Jerry Schemmel, voice of the Colorado Rockies as our guest speaker at our Allies Men’s breakfast at Timberline Church. This afternoon we traveled to Lakewood to watch grandson Riley compete in the “Carnation Bowl” the little league football championship. His team rolled to a 52-7 victory. After the game we gathered at Christian and Bridget’s home for dinner.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….Ā “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” 1 Corinthians 1:26 NIV
The word “deplorables” will forever be associated with the 2016 Presidential election. However, it could as well have been how some followers of Christ were viewed in the eyes of the world; especially among the smug and elite of the wise philosophers or religious class of the first century in Corinth.
In declaring the glories of the gospel and the transformation power of Christ, Paul reminds the Corinthians of their status in the eyes of the culture of the day. If you were choosing teams for those who would transform the world and serve as ambassadors for the God of the universe, they were among those who would have been last to be selected.
It seems that God has a habit throughout time of choosing the unlikely, the overlooked and those a little, “rough around the edges” to be those He decides to use to show His glory.
Why does God do what He does? Paul explains,Ā Ā “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised thingsāand the things that are notāto nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:28,29 NIV)
If only the smartest, brightest and best were used by the Lord, any success or achievement would have been credited to human ability. It would have been easy for people to give credit to their own talent. Even Paul would identify himself as unworthy and refer to himself as the “least among the apostles.”
In the Book of Acts we read of the observation of the religious elite of the apostles, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NIV)
They were not just astonished because of the contradiction between who they were and what they did, but they identified them as being connect to Jesus. May that same thing be evident in our life. May what we do and the impact of our lives, not be viewed as the byproduct of human excellence, but of the work of the Holy Spirit through human vessels.
The great encouragement in all this is all are qualified to be used of the Lord. None need to feel inadequate, none are left out. All that is needed is an open heart, persistent obedience, trust and faith.
Prayer for today….Ā Lord, thank You that in Your sovereign plan you make all who yield their lives to You as those who can “change the world.” Allow our hearts to be open, our faith to be strong and our trust to be steadfast as You use us for your purposes.