Don't Underestimate Who God Can Use

For the past couple of months we have been trying something different with our Men’s Ministry at our church.

We started a Men’s MEATing. It is a “Bring Your Own Meat” event where the attendees bring whatever meat they want, and we grill it or cook it over the campfire. We also sit around talking and playing cornhole.

It has been a lot of fun. And momentum is building.

This past week, a young man came to the MEATing and was watching us play cornhole. We invited him to play. One of the other men asked him if he had ever played before.

His response indicated it had been awhile. I knew him a little bit, and he was my partner.

A few throws in, it was clear he had definitely played before!

He threw four bean bags in a row through the cornhole. And he kept doing it...

It may have been awhile since he played, but he had played. And he was very good.

This little cornhole situation reminded me of something. Sometimes the biggest surprise is not who wins, but who God uses.

We certainly have an image of what a man of God looks like.

A young man, nineteen years old, quietly entered a game. He showed everyone he could play. He didn’t have to boast or prove himself. He simply participated, and dominated. I’m glad he was my partner.

Often we build opinions, both good and bad, based on outward appearances. And the Bible speaks to this a lot!

God’s kingdom is full of surprises:

• A shepherd boy defeats a giant.

  
  

• A boy offers his lunch, and thousands are fed.

  
  

• Fisherman change the world.

  
  

• A cross becomes the symbol of victory.

Never assume that God can’t use someone because they are too young, too old, too quiet, too new, or too ordinary.

1 Corinthians 1:27 reminds us, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

So often in the church, and in the larger world, we default to the biggest, the strongest, the prettiest. But maybe the next person God uses in a mighty way may be standing off to the side, waiting for someone to invite them into the game.

Who might you be overlooking that God sees as full of potential? And are you willing to let God use you even if others underestimate you?

Keep your eyes open, head up, and heart soft so that you can recognize what God is doing in and through everyone in your path.

Anyway, I was just thinking...