Galatians 1:10: Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
GOD chose PETER and PAUL; He called them from obscurity into public service and worldwide ministry. Neither seemed a good candidate or was even qualified based on his background, personality, temperament, previous occupation or past record. Simon was an impulsive man, an ordinary fisherman turned disciple who would deny JESUS three times and hide to save himself. Saul of Tarsus was smart but self-righteous, a law-abiding Pharisee who would stand on the sideline as Stephen, one of JESUS’ followers, was martyred, stoned to death, for his Faith, for the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST, and Saul would persecute the believers—men and women—even hunt them down, from Jerusalem to Damascus. He knew about GOD but didn’t know GOD, and he was zealous in fighting the wrong enemies for his righteous cause.
But GOD knew these men, Simon and Saul, the fisherman and the Pharisee; GOD knew the plans He had for them, plans to prosper and not harm them, plans to give them hope and a future, and He planned according to their DESTINATIONS, not their ORIGINS, EDUCATION, or CIRCUMSTANCES. He had searched these men's hearts and He had seen something good and special in them, something WORTH CLAIMING, and He called them into who He created them to be, not Simon the fisherman but Peter the Rock, not Saul of Tarsus but Paul the Apostle. GOD saved, redeemed, and changed these men, and they, in turn, inspired, influenced, and changed this world.
This is the real message about GOD's CHOSEN, HIS QUALIFIED, HIS CANDIDATES for OFFICE—for ELECTION: They’re not perfect; they’re not angels, but they’re STRONG and COURAGEOUS; they FEAR GOD MORE THAN PEOPLE; they STAND on GOD's PLATFORM; they WELCOME HIS PRESENCE; they PROMOTE HIS AGENDA; they AFFIRM HIS WORD; they REFLECT HIS SPIRIT; they HONOR HIS NAME; they EMPOWER HIS CHURCH; they UNITE HIS BODY; they STRENGTHEN HIS PEOPLE; they ENLARGE HIS TERRITORY; they PROTECT HIS PROPERTY; they BLESS HIS NATION; they FIGHT IN HIS WARS; they CONFRONT HIS ENEMIES; they CONQUER EVIL WITH GOOD; they ABIDE BY HIS RULES; they BUILD ON HIS FOUNDATION: they STAND ON HIS PROMISES; they WALK IN HIS TRUTH; they KNOCK ON HIS DOOR; they KNEEL AT HIS ALTAR; they ASK FOR HIS COUNSEL; they PRAY FOR HIS WISDOM; they SEEK HIS APPROVAL; they SERVE HIS PURPOSE; they SUBMIT to HIS AUTHORITY; they UPHOLD HIS LAWS; they OBEY HIS COMMANDS.
GOD's BEST CANDIDATES are not always popular (like Moses, Jeremiah and Elijah); GOD's best candidates often say the wrong things and make bad choices (like James and John, the Sons of Thunder, who wanted fire called down for destruction, who wanted the best seats in GOD's Kingdom beside JESUS or King David who committed adultery and had the woman's husband killed so he could cover the "initial" sin).
GOD's best candidates can be adventurers, travelers, and tent-dwellers like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or married but barren like Sarah, Rachel, Elizabeth, and Hannah; or a widow and mother in poverty, in lack, like the woman of Zarephath, or wealthy, worldly tax collectors like Zacchaeus and Matthew.
God’s best candidates can be hot-headed and biased like Simon Peter or skeptical and unbelieving like Thomas; they can be oppressed but delivered like Mary Magdalene or scandalous and scarlet like Rahab or an outcast like the Samaritan woman at the well.
God’s best candidates can be young, inexperienced and royal like Josiah or unknown farmers, laborers, prophets, and shepherds like Elisha, Amos, and Hosea; they can be honest, passionate and misunderstood forerunners like John the Baptist; virginal and faithful like Mary or commanding and brave like Deborah; or patient and prayerful like Anna or selfless and heroic like Esther; trusting and obedient like Ruth or reluctant and rebellious like Jonah; fearless but reverent like Joshua, smart and proud like Saul of Tarsus, or powerful yet humble like Joseph the Dreamer.
The candidates that GOD chooses or calls are more GOD CHASERS than PEOPLE PLEASERS. These candidates are more SONS and DAUGHTERS than slaves or foreigners; they’re more GIVERS than TAKERS, more SERVANTS than PUPPETS, and they envision more than constituents or voters, and they see others more as BROTHERS and SISTERS than as different cultures, classes, races, denominations, ages, and genders. They see families, lives, hearts and souls; they see the FUTURE—LEGACIES—GENERATIONS.
God’s best candidates see beyond today; they see tomorrow; and beyond tomorrow they see life after death, and they CAMPAIGN for ETERNITY—TO LIVE IN GOD’s PRESENCE and TO DWELL IN GOD’s KINGDOM.
