I realize many may not be into professional sports as much as I am, so you may not have even realized that this past weekend was the annual NFL draft.
I don’t have the time to be one of those people who sits down and watches all of the coverage and commentaries as teams try to pick the best athletes that are coming into the NFL, but I did catch a few minutes here and there of various sports analysts commenting on how wise or unwise a team was in choosing to draft a player as well as analysis of who were the top prospects left to be drafted. This got me thinking – what if we evaluated God’s draft picks in a similar manner?
I would have to say that most ‘analysts’ would probably cry out in frustration if they were present at the time God drafted most people. They would talk about how God wasted a first round draft pick selecting someone who probably didn’t even belong in the draft in the first place. Let us look at a couple of examples in the Old Testament:
· Moses was a murderer and a foreigner in a foreign land (Ex 2:10-12, 21) who had difficulties with public speaking (Ex 4:10). Not exactly prime leadership material, even with the experience of growing up in Pharaoh’s household.
· Gideon was the least member of the lowest clan in the region and on top of that he was currently working inside of a winepress in order to hide from the Midianites who had invaded the land. At the time, I don’t think he was on the top of anyone’s list of “people we want to select to lead us to victory against our oppressors” - and that is if he was even on anyone’s list. (see Judges 6)
· David was the youngest son of a family of shepherds when he was anointed to be king of Israel (1 Sam 16). That would be like a football team using its draft pick on someone who’s only college football experience was playing intramural flag football at the local community college.
Why does God use his ‘draft picks’ on such unlikely characters? The story of David gives us a bit more insight into this:
“The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:7
The Lord does not worry about if we have the necessary skills to do what he is asking of us because God knows that He will make up for what we lack. What is more important than our skill set is our heart’s desire to do the Lord’s will out of love for Him. (cf. Acts 13:22)
So what has the Lord been calling you to do lately and what is holding you back from acting on it? Is there a co-worker you need to have a difficult discussion with in order to resolve the conflict between you? Are you worried that asking to be more of a leader at work (and through that an example for Christ) will only lead to failure? Do you think God is crazy for asking you to be a part of something because there is no way someone like you could do that?
Whatever it is that God may be calling us to, both at work and outside of work, may His love and grace change our hearts so that we may follow his call and not worry about if we are able – He’ll take care of that part.
Peace,
James
I would have to say that most ‘analysts’ would probably cry out in frustration if they were present at the time God drafted most people. They would talk about how God wasted a first round draft pick selecting someone who probably didn’t even belong in the draft in the first place. Let us look at a couple of examples in the Old Testament:
· Moses was a murderer and a foreigner in a foreign land (Ex 2:10-12, 21) who had difficulties with public speaking (Ex 4:10). Not exactly prime leadership material, even with the experience of growing up in Pharaoh’s household.
· Gideon was the least member of the lowest clan in the region and on top of that he was currently working inside of a winepress in order to hide from the Midianites who had invaded the land. At the time, I don’t think he was on the top of anyone’s list of “people we want to select to lead us to victory against our oppressors” - and that is if he was even on anyone’s list. (see Judges 6)
· David was the youngest son of a family of shepherds when he was anointed to be king of Israel (1 Sam 16). That would be like a football team using its draft pick on someone who’s only college football experience was playing intramural flag football at the local community college.
Why does God use his ‘draft picks’ on such unlikely characters? The story of David gives us a bit more insight into this:
“The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:7
The Lord does not worry about if we have the necessary skills to do what he is asking of us because God knows that He will make up for what we lack. What is more important than our skill set is our heart’s desire to do the Lord’s will out of love for Him. (cf. Acts 13:22)
So what has the Lord been calling you to do lately and what is holding you back from acting on it? Is there a co-worker you need to have a difficult discussion with in order to resolve the conflict between you? Are you worried that asking to be more of a leader at work (and through that an example for Christ) will only lead to failure? Do you think God is crazy for asking you to be a part of something because there is no way someone like you could do that?
Whatever it is that God may be calling us to, both at work and outside of work, may His love and grace change our hearts so that we may follow his call and not worry about if we are able – He’ll take care of that part.
Peace,
James
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