I am Unqualified

 From our earliest experience of teams being picked in the playground at school we learn that being big, fast, strong, skilful, funny or popular are the qualities that get you chosen. 

God’s selection process does not follow the same pattern.

Today I am thankful for the grace of God. I am grateful that God’s choice is not based on my qualifications but is rooted in his great love.

I am thankful that being unqualified is not the same as being disqualified. I appreciate being called into a team and the privilege of playing together.

If by some chance we are involved in some thing of significance in our lives and service, the credit for that belongs to the one who chose us. If it all goes wrong and our best efforts turn to custard we have one who is well able to handle that as well.

Transcript

Day 85

This weekend I have been watching the Ryder Cup which is one of my favourite golf events. This biennial competition pits teams from the USA and Europe against each other. In an individual sport it is a rare opportunity to play with others for more than personal reward. Selection for the teams follows slightly different formats but the basic idea is that most players qualify by virtue of finishing high enough on a ranking list based on earnings. The remaining players are selected at the discretion of the team captain.

Much attention focuses on these “Captain’s Picks”. There is debate beforehand about who deserves the opportunity and their contribution always comes under greater scrutiny during the event. Of course these selections are still based on an opinion of merit and likely ability to add value to the team. 

 It is hard to be left out when teams are being picked. We feel the impact of a verdict that has been passed against us. We may disagree with the conclusion but selection is always a judgement call. What is not in doubt is that the criteria for inclusion are based on performance. From our earliest experience of teams being picked in the playground at school we learn that being big, fast, strong, skilful, funny or popular are the qualities that get you chosen. 

 God’s selection process does not follow the same pattern. The basis of his choosing of a people is spelled out in Deuteronomy. It is not because the people of Israel were deserving because of their size or importance. God’s choice was all about His great love and the promises he chose to make.

“Do this because you are a people set apart as holy to GOD, your God. GOD, your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure. GOD wasn't attracted to you and didn't choose you because you were big and important-the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise he made to your ancestors.” (7:6-8 MSG)

God does not choose people based on the commonly accepted criteria. Samuel had been told that the Lord had chosen one of the sons of Jesse to be the next King of Israel. 

“When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” (1 Samuel 16:6-11)

The youngest son turned out to be David and when he arrived the Lord made it clear to Samuel that he was the one. He was certainly not the son his father would have selected. Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah are the three oldest and are named as being in Saul’s army in the Valley of Elah facing the Philistines. They undoubtably had impressive qualities but God looks beyond these to what lies within and it is David’s heart that is going to define his leadership. 

God’s choosing continues to mark his people and endow them with a status and significance which is given not earned. Peter writes in his first letter to a persecuted minority of Jesus followers,

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (2:9-10)

This is a huge encouragement to people under pressure, looked down on by the world, lacking in social power, dealing with rejection and facing imprisonment or worse. They are special because they have been chosen. They are accepted by a higher authority than that which rejects them. They are loved, adopted and ennobled through the mercy of God. Faith is not what qualifies them to this position it is a response to what God has done for them and the night and day difference that God has made in their experience. God has chosen them for a purpose and is with them as they follow his call. 

This is all very well in theory. It is easier to be saved by grace than live by grace. We want to earn worth and be recognised by the world. The desire for significance and enhanced reputation can eclipse the light of God’s favour. Pride invariably derails leadership as it leads to entitlement and boasting of what we have achieved and how capable we are. If we try to take the credit when things go well it is hard for us to handle when things turn to custard.

Paul writing to the Corinthians reminds them that were not chosen because they were qualified. They were captain’s picks. They were the ones left to the end in the playground process of choosing teams. 

“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. 

Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. 

Everything that we have— right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start— comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” (1,1:26-29 MSG) 

I was talking to one of our staff before the last Urbana Missions Conference and they said “so you are the New President I am guessing a key part of our role is to make you look good?” “Absolutely not” I replied, “I would love to meet some students and supporters and staff but don’t make a song and dance about it” “But surely if they think you are great they will have more confidence in the organisation”, “To a degree that is probably true but lets put our effort into sharing vision and profiling the fantastic staff we have in camp and campus and in letting students share their stories”.

I continued “I don’t actually think it’s anyones job to make someone else look good (none of us are professional make up artists) but if it was somebody’s job – it’s my job to make you look good”

Today I am thankful for the grace of God. I am grateful that God’s choice is not based on my qualifications but is rooted in his great love.

I am thankful that being unqualified is not the same as being disqualified. I appreciate being called into a team and the privilege of playing together.

If by some chance we are involved in some thing of significance in our lives and service, the credit for that belongs to the one who chose us. If it all goes wrong and our best efforts turn to custard we have one who is well able to handle that as well.

It is one of the benefits of being a captain’s pick.

As the old hymn goes

“Christ, our mighty Captain, leads against the foe,
We will never falter when He bids us go;
Tho’ His righteous purpose we may never know,
Yet we’ll follow all the way.

Fierce the battle rages—but ’twill not be long,
Then triumphant, shall we join the blessèd throng,
Joyfully uniting in the victor’s song—
If we follow all the way.”