TROPHIES

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called – 1 Corinthians 1:26

God is a Specialist at taking the most unlikely of candidates and turning them into TROPHIES of His Grace: “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…that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1Cor.1:27,29). How so often we see the very people we have classified as impossible to save being gloriously marked by God for salvation! It is not uncommon at many churches for long-lost friends to meet unexpectedly, look curiously at each other, and wonder in unison, “What are you doing here?” Seeing each other in church with a Bible in hand and a broad smile on the face catches them by surprise. Neither thought the other could be saved, but Grace does it all!

It is unlikely that many people in the early church were praying for Saul’s salvation. They were probably saying, “Lord, wipe out that violent guy. He is a hater of Your Way. Stop him, Lord!” They were probably hoping that God would bring swift judgement on him. But God had another way of stopping him, unlike anything they anticipated. He brought Saul’s life to a screeching halt as he was on the road to Damascus, and there turned him around in the very opposite direction. Saul was reborn as Paul and became the greatest Apostle of the Gospel of Grace. The Perfect Potter is able to beautifully transform each of us for His Glory (Jer.18:6). He changes our value systems and makes us new creatures in Christ (2Cor.5:17).

Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking God uses only “special” people – the beautiful, the brilliant, the strong, and the talented. We seldom think He has a place for the rest of us “ordinary” folk. How so wrong we are! God doesn’t have “Very Important Persons” – V.I.Ps! He uses ordinary folk and works through plain people, endowing them with gifts so that they might fill their places in the Body of Christ. Any ability we have is a gift from His hand. All that we have, we received: “…And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?” (1Cor.4:7b). Anything worthwhile you have flowed from God. There is no way you can be arrogant and boastful, as though you achieved anything independent of Him. Apart from Him, you are nothing. Apart from Him, you can do nothing!

People often develop a bloated view of their own greatness and importance and gloat over their place in God’s Scheme. But the truth is, even though God has chosen to use us, He doesn’t have to. He could just as easily use someone else. It is not about us; it is all about Him! God doesn’t choose us because of our abilities, potential or greatness. He chose us by Grace. He’ll see us through by Grace. Heaven is going to be full of surprises; all the people who we thought would never make it. God will usher us into our eternal Home – Heaven – by Grace. He’ll count us worthy to stride on the streets of gold, by Grace.