FLAWED PEOPLE
2 Corinthians 12:9
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
It had been a long week. Jim and his brother had come into elk camp having killed a few elk before with rifles, but had never hunted elk with archery gear. The very first day one of the guides working with me came back to camp and told me, we will not kill an elk this week, we will go for some long walks, but Jim will not shoot an elk. When I asked, “why” the guide said “Jim thinks he knows everything about elk hunting and won’t listen to me.
Sure enough, the last day that guide brought back a video of a 340” bull elk that walked within 10 yards of the tree where he had told Jim to stand. Unfortunately, Jim thought he knew better and had moved 75 yards off and over a hill. In his mind he thought his “wisdom” was all that was needed to kill a big bull. I wondered afterwards why he would pay $10,000 for a guided elk hunt, if he was already able to do it on his own.
I’ve found it to be much easier to guide someone who doesn’t think they know a lot, but wants to learn, than someone who thinks they already know enough.
The same is true of Christian men and women. There are those that might be elevated in a secular position, and feel they are well equipped in Christian leadership. Churches often elevate people from within the body because they are good at a job outside the church. But what we forget is that God doesn’t care about how much you know (head knowledge ) He wants to know how much you care (heart wisdom).
God can use someone that has a heart to love and serve Him in a far greater way than someone that feels they have all the answers. They may know the words of the Bible and be able to recite it off the top of their head… but do they understand the love and grace of the God that sent His Son for my sins? Do they live it our day after day?
1 Corinthians 13:1-4
If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may [glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.
Recently I heard a pastor say “I’m just a flawed man” to which one of the leaders in the church responded, “leading a bunch of other flawed men.”
If you feel flawed or less than qualified, you’re in good company and you might where God wants you to be used in His service. Take a look at the “spiritual giants” of the Bible and consider how God used each of them. He can use you, flaws and all.
ABRAHAM was too old.
ISAAC was a daydreamer.
JACOB lied.
JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES was a murderer and couldn’t talk.
GIDEON was afraid.
RAHAB was a prostitute.
JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID was a murderer and adulterer.
JONAH ran from God.
NAOMI was a widow.
JOB went bankrupt.
JOHN THE BAPTIST ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDLENE was demon possessed.
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced…more than once…
ZACCHEUS was too small.
PAUL was a murderer.
and LAZARUS was dead!
God will equip you for whatever He calls you to… just be willing and ready.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Don’t miss this week’s GOD’S GREAT OUTDOORS radio or TRAIL TO ADVENTURE podcast. We hear about squirrel hunting, country music, drugs, and God’s beautiful redemption. God used a flawed drug and alcohol addicted man and He turned him into an evangelist.
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