Who is the person that God uses? It’s a great question to ask. But we need to be very careful in how we answer. It would be easy to say that God will use anyone but “me.” I’m uneducated. I’m untrained. How could God possibly use someone like me? But a careful study of the Bible reveals that God uses imperfect people just like you and me! That’s excellent news.
1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (NKJV) “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
In our hype and status saturated culture, the Church, book publishers, and media giants have created a new category of Christian, the “Celebrity Pastor.” There is no such thing as a celebrity in the Church. The word means ‘famous one”. The only “Famous One” in the Church is Jesus Himself! The singular focus in the Church is the Risen One Jesus. Be careful not to write yourself off because you’re not famous or known. You’re the perfect man or woman that God wants to use. God is looking for servants, not celebrities.
The true mark of a healthy servant of Jesus is love.
John 13:35 (NKJV) “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
John 15:12 (NKJV) “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
When Paul wrote his letter to the Church in Corinth, you’ll recall that he asked to be considered a servant, not a superstar, a celebrity, or a professional clergyman. He wanted to be known for his faithful service to Jesus and nothing else. John the Baptist would agree and say it best, “He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).”
A quick study of Scripture shows us that the people God used were not always the most qualified. Many times they were the least qualified! But what they did have the needed depth of character that positioned them in a place of great usefulness. We learn that God uses people that are:
- Born Again.
- Flexible.
- Full of the Holy Spirit.
- Full of Wisdom
- Known for Their Good Reputation
- Faithful
- Available
- Teachable
God uses that man, that woman who is open and ready to be used by Him. The one who is willing to pay the price of personal sacrifice on behalf of Jesus. He wants to use you!
D. L. Moody, the evangelist, significantly used by God, was convinced that total surrender to God was the key to successful ministry. It was only reinforced in the early years of his ministry when he heard the British evangelist Henry Varley say, “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to him.”
Moody asked God to make him that man.
You and I can ask the same!
