“My brothers, show no
partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”
(James 2:1 ESV).
Reading Warren Wiersbe’s
commentary on James, one section stopped me in my tracks:
“[Jesus] saw the potential in the lives of sinners. In
Simon, He saw a rock. In Matthew, the publican, He saw a faithful disciple who
would one day write one of the four gospels. The disciples were amazed to see
Jesus talking with the sinful woman at the well of Sychar, but Jesus saw in her
an instrument for reaping a great harvest” (ch. 5).
I started wondering what He
sees in some of the people we may tend to ignore or write off. That little boy
who is so disruptive in Sunday school may one day be a pastor. That girl who
doesn’t want to leave her mommy’s side may become a missionary in Africa. That
young man who can’t seem to stay on the right side of the law may end up
ministering to ex-cons.
Thinking about the
people in my own church and denomination, there are a lot of people now in
leadership positions who may once have been thought “irredeemable.” And if
we’re being honest, all of us are unlikely candidates for belonging to the Body
of Christ. We’re all sinners (not just in the past). We’re all broken and
wounded by our own actions and the actions of others. Not one of us was saved
because we’re such a great catch. God was never impressed by our credentials.
But by grace He chose us and made us worthy and useful for His kingdom.
“God chose what is foolish in
the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the
strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world,” (news flash—that’s
all of us!) “even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so
that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians
1:27-29).
We didn’t get here by our own
abilities or ingenuity, and we can’t even guarantee we’ll be here another day.
(How many of Israel’s kings fell because their pride got the best of them?) We
are dependent on God for life, breath, strength, and the very ministry He has
given each of us. “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but
only God who gives the growth” (1 Cor. 1:7). That reality should make us
grateful and humble servants.
As I look back at my own life,
I would never have planned the route that brought me to where I am today, and I’m
sure many other people would say the same. I give thanks for all the twists and
turns, hills and valleys, bumps and bruises that God has used to put me right
here right now. And I trust He’ll do the same in the future to get me wherever
He can best put me to use for His glory.
“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more
people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15).
© 2019 Dawn Rutan. Image © Dawn Rutan. The opinions stated
do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.
