for it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. [2 corinthians 10:18]
when we try to prove that we are qualified by the world’s standards, we miss how God wants to use us. God uses the common, the broken and the weak.
eve was deceived. “so when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” genesis 3:6
leah was unattractive. “leah’s eyes were weak, but rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.” genesis 29:17
moses stuttered. but moses said to the Lord, “oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” exodus 4:10
rehab was a prostitute. “and they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was rahab and lodged there.” joshua 2:1
joseph was abused and betrayed. “so when joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. and they took him and threw him into a pit. “ genesis 37:23-24
david committed murder. “‘set uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.’” 2 samuel 11:15
jonah disobeyed God. “but jonah rose to flee to tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” jonah 1:3
mary and joseph were likely young. “when his mother mary had been betrothed to joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” matthew 1:18
john was uneducated. “now when they saw the boldness of peter and john, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” acts 4:13
martha was anxious. “but the Lord answered her, “martha, martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things.” luke 10:41
saul (paul) persecuted the early church. “but saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” acts 8:3
matthew was a dishonest tax collector. “as Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘follow me.’ and he rose and followed him.” matthew 9:9
zacchaeus was short. “and he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.” luke 19:3
peter denied knowing Jesus. “‘but he denied it, saying, ‘woman, i do not know him.’ and a little later someone else saw him and said, ‘you also are one of them.’ but peter said, “man, Iiam not.’” luke 22: 57-58
whether a sin has been committed against you, you’ve sinned against another, you have a disadvantage of any kind, God has chosen you. you are qualified, not because of your accomplishments but because of who God is and your identity as a son or daughter of the King. he desires to be glorified through your weakness.
~ natalie schmidt