I felt like a fool as I went to the Lord this morning, my heart like a vast mixing bowl. In this little girl lay a mixture of frailty, weakness and despicability…of urgency and excitement…and continued perplexity. I had been meditating on the doors He has opened for ministry, both seen and unseen. As I lifted up each gift and each opportunity, I found myself wondering—yet again—why He would choose someone so weak, so untrained and so unqualified. Then came the touchstone of His voice…
“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…” ~1 Corinthians 1:26-27
He also reminded me of a story that a beloved friend recently shared with me. It is the account of a Brazilian man who was—at one time foolish in his unbelieving heart—ultimately transformed into a fool for Christ. This man was literally known as the village fool. Having spent most of his life greeting the bottom of a liquor bottle, villagers despised him and avoided boat rides into town with him for the fear of unsolicited salivary showers. One day this foolish salivary baptiser gave his life to Jesus. He was next seen about the villages with Bible in hand, preaching God’s Word, only…the man could not read. It seems he would gather a crowd of listeners then pick one of them out to read the Scriptures to him. Next he would turn to the multitudes and recite from memory what he had just heard. This is how he learned God’s Word. Suffice it to say, many of our brothers and sisters came to Christ through this fool. (He did eventually learn to read.)
“…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.” ~1 Corinthians 1:28-29
We may argue that we are not experienced or that our gifts are not highly developed. Perhaps these gifts are ‘unaccredited’ in the eyes of the world or even amongst our peers. They may seem small, they may seem large. They may be vocal, they may be silent but in this we must be confident: They are from Him and for Him. If He has provided opportunities for the furtherance of His kingdom, then we must trust Him with them. He has given us everything we need to accomplish His will today. Everything. Today.
This morning I felt like the illiterate fool. Seeing my lack and desiring so desperately to redeem the time in these dark days I asked, "Lord how? As the fool forsook his illiteracy and used His ears to hear and mouth to speak, show me how to use what I DO have.”
Perhaps He is asking you what He asked me. “Will you trust Me? Will you take what I have given you, pour it on others and keep coming back for more? Will you step aside with all your inhibitions and give full room for Me to stand in the spotlight? Will your boast be in Me?”
How about it?
