By Chris WittsThursday 9 May 2024Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
Transcript:
Have you ever met the perfect person? I haven’t, and most likely never will. I like the scene in the Jack Nicholson movie As Good as it Gets, when he is wanting to help Carol, a young mother (played by Helen Hunt), and her sick son.
Their relationship is developing, but she finds him to be a difficult man. In fact he is very offensive and rude to her. Carol finally cries to her own mother, “I just want a normal boyfriend”. And her mother says: “Oh, everyone wants one of those. There is no such thing, dear”.
An interesting observation, and so true. Are you a normal person? Is there such a thing anyway? And what does a normal person look like and how do they behave? I think one sign of a mature person is that they accept others as they are, warts and all. How sad to see a young couple get married, for example, where either the bride or the groom has the plan to change the other.
God can use anyone
We all want to look normal, and to think of ourselves as normal. But no matter how much good you do in this life, you’re not perfect. Even the Bible has lots of people who made big mistakes. There are mixed-up people in the Bible, and yet the amazing thing is that God used them and blessed them. Let me remind you of some.
Cain is jealous of Abel and kills him. Isaac, Abraham’s son, plays favourites between his sons Jacob and Esau, and they’re bitter enemies for 20 years. Jacob plays favourites between Joseph and his other 11 sons, and the brothers want to kill Joseph and finally sell him into slavery. And there are other stories of weird families and messed-up people that we sometimes think are perfect because they are featured in the Bible.
So what is the Bible trying to say? I think God is saying that we have all messed up and made bad judgements. The Bible says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray…” (Isaiah 53:6). And in the New Testament we read, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We have missed the mark that God intended for us from the beginning when Adam and Eve rebelled and disobeyed God’s request. And from that time on, no-one was born perfect except Jesus the Son of God. But the amazing fact is God delights in using dysfunctional, imperfect people.
An unusual job application
I read the intriguing story of a church committee looking for a pastor. They had interviewed a number of candidates, and no-one seemed suitable. They were getting a bit tired and weary of the whole business, until a young lady on their committee said, I’ve got an application I want to read:
To the pastoral search committee:
It is my understanding that you have a vacancy in your pulpit, and I would like to apply for the position.
I can’t say that I preach too well. In fact, I tend to stutter when I speak. I do have a lot of different experiences I could share with you, since I am over 75 years old.
I have only just recently had an encounter with God and, despite my initial resistance to the idea, I heard a Voice which told me personally that I was the one to do the ministry for you. One never knows when God will appear right before your very eyes.
As far as people skills go, I do tend to lose my temper every once in a while. I also tend to want things done my way, and can get violent if it’s not taken care of right away. Once I even killed somebody. But since I know you are gracious people, I know you will believe me when I say that’s all behind me now. I intend on showing up there in a few weeks to lead you into a brighter future. Although I was reluctant at first to work with you, I still feel called to be with you nonetheless.
The committee member glanced up at the rest of the group. Well, what do you think? Can this person be our leader or not? The rest of the committee was aghast. Have an old, arrogant,
temperamental, obviously neurotic, ex-murderer as their pastor?
Was this committee member crazy? Who signed the letter of introduction? Who had such colossal nerve? The committee member eyed them all keenly before she answered, It’s signed, Moses. She made her point.
God’s ways are not our ways, and he can use anyone he wishes—even those we think are not qualified, like Moses.