One of the stickers stuck on the front windscreen of my car reads
"God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called."
This is indeed a very profound statement and is yet another example of God's ways being higher than our ways. As employers, we will look at the qualifications of potential candidates for a particular vacancy and shortlist only those that meet the minimum requirements.
God, on the other hand, looks at the heart of the individual. If he is FAT (faithful, available and teachable), God will use him and equip him accordingly.
Take the case as recorded in 1 Sam 16 when Samuel was in the house of Jesse to anoint the successor to Saul for the throne.
6 Samuel saw the eldest son Eliab and thought "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."
7 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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Take yet another case of Jesus choosing His twelve disciples. If He followed the world's ways, then He would have called the Pharisees (religious sect that took the Law seriously) and the scribes (teachers of the Law). Yet He selected those despised and looked down upon by society such as fishermen and tax-collectors. In Acts 4:13, these disciples of His were described as "unschooled, ordinary men".
It is therefore God's prerogative to choose anyone He wants for His purposes. In fact, He even used a donkey as recorded in Num 22:28. And in Luke 19:40, Jesus said that even the stones will cry out if He had asked His disciples to keep quiet.
Which brings me to a more recent but related topic. Some have questioned the credibility and theological soundness of pastors who have not gone through bible school or college.
But does it really matter in God's eyes?
Paul says in 1 Cor 1:26-28
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are
God does not call the qualified. Rather, He qualifies the called. There is this particular pastor that may not have a degree in divinity or theology, but he answered the call, and God has equipped Him accordingly. He used to stammer as a teenager when asked to speak in class, but God has transformed him into one of the most eloquent and anointed speakers in this day and age. Now, he speaks to tens of thousands of people, and his church has grown hundredfold from 150 to 15,000. In fact, God has so prospered his ministry that his sermons are now broadcasted overseas as well, in countries like Canada, USA, Australia and Africa.
May God continue to qualify the called. Amen?
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