Last summer, almost on a whim, I applied for a summer internship at a tech company. My previous job consisted of two parts. The first involved a bit of SalesForce research before uploading documents I digitized. The second required me to call customers month after month, requesting completed paperwork. We’re talking very little brain strain. I considered this meager experience of little value and thought my chances of getting the internship slim.
Imagine my shock when, after what I considered a failed second interview, they called to offer me the position! (It turns out my fourteen years of homeschooling helped.) My current manager saw in me what I could not. When the internship ended (and the other interns returned to college!) the company brought me on full time, paying a generous salary to boot. I’ve been challenged and stretched more than I could have anticipated, but I love my job! God knew I could handle far more than my limited imagination could envision.
We see a similar scenario played out over and over in scripture. What qualified Abraham for fathering the nation of Israel? Moses did not appear equipped or competent to rescue the Jews from Egyptian enslavement, receive the Ten Commandments, and write significant portions of the Old Testament. Jailbird Joseph certainly was an unlikely candidate for the second highest ranking offices in Pharaoh’s Egyptian government. And little shepherd boy David did not look qualified to be the greatest king Israel ever had! Yet God called them to those positions.
And while few of us will write all-time best sellers or hold high political offices, God still calls us to be open to new possibilities, to step out of our comfort zones, and to be faithful in whatever stage of the journey we find ourselves. Even if we’re not qualified for “greatness” by the world’s standards, God calls us qualified for His version of greatness.
We’re usually unaware of the role we play in the bigger picture. The Bible tells of many people like us–everyday flawed folks, without monumental accomplishments, whom God highly esteemed. Beautiful, barren, bossy Sarah miraculously gave birth at age 90 because she exercised the tiniest bit of faith. Ruth, a poverty-stricken outsider, became the great-grandmother of King David, simply by listening to her mother-in-law and working hard. A little Jewish handmaid helped bring about the miraculous healing of a Syrian army commander’s leprosy by speaking up when she saw his suffering. And a boy ended up feeding a multitude when he offered to share his lunch.
What did these people actually do? Not much. One used a little bit of faith while another heeded a suggestion. One simply shared an idea she had and another gave away his lunch. “Nobodies” who did “nothing”–and yet they’re all recorded in God’s Word. These examples prove that even the least of us can make a difference.
We can all give away some of what we have, listen to advice, work hard at our jobs, share inspired ideas, and exercise a bit of faith. Who knows where such simple acts may lead?
Thanks, Carrie – such inspirational thoughts. I always look forward to reading and thinking about the posts you and JB write.