WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU TAKE ME?

I was talking with a good friend of mine earlier today who is a part of Kaleo.  This is a guy I love like I love few people - he has faithfully served and supported my ministry for years and has been with Kaleo since day one.  Right now, he is praying about taking a step of faith and entering into an elder training process at Kaleo.

As we were talking, we were talking through the biblical qualifications for elders in the church (check out 1 Timothy 3:1-7 if you're not sure what these are), and he said something that I've thought a million times: "Why in the world would you take ME?"  Now, this is a guy who is living out everything listed in 1 Timothy 3 - no question about it. But as he stares at the possibility of leading God's people, he's brought face to face with his own shortcomings. 

After assuring him that he's definitely biblically qualified to serve in the role we're talking about, I told him something that I think is absolutely vital to anyone serving in any kind of ministry: "Never lose that question."  As we serve Jesus in whatever role that might be, from pastoring a church to leading a community group to ministering to kids in the nursery - we must never lose sight of the fact that it is a tremendous privilege to serve our God.

We are not good enough.  We're not skilled enough.  We are not godly enough.  We are not disciplined enough.  We're not smart enough.  As we look at the task God has given us to spread His glory and we look at our lives, there is no reason at all that God should use us.  We need to be reminded of this, because just as Paul told Timothy when laying out the qualifications for elders, it is very easy to fall into the trap of the devil - to give in to our pride and think that we can do something great. 

Jesus said it this way in John 15:5 - "Apart from me you can do nothing."  Most of us have read that verse many times before, and would agree wholeheartedly.  But so often, it is easy to serve in ministry as if that verse didn't exist.  We learn how to perform well, speak well, lead well, market well, plan events well, sing well, and before long - we're seeing things happen.  People are showing up.  People are telling us how great we're doing.  People are thrilled with our "ministry".  But if we were to be honest, nothing we've done has come from God.  It's come from our own abilities, talents, and strengths.  We've used the gifts God has given us, but we've used them in our own strength and power - and Jesus says that it is meaningless.  "Apart from me you can do nothing."  When Jesus says that if we operate without him we can't do anything of value, we take Him at His word.  Whatever we've done without him is nothing.

Now, if the verse ended there it would be pretty depressing.  But the great news is found in the first part of the verse: "He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit".  It gets even better in verse 7: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."  That is amazing! 

The bad news: We are not good enough.

The good news: We don't have to be. 

Ministry was never meant to be something that we do on our own.  We can try all we want, but apart from the power of Jesus we can't do anything at all.  But as we abide in Jesus, resting in His presence each day - crying out to Him in prayer, listening to Him in the Scriptures, we have the promise that we will bear much fruit. 

I have no idea why God would choose to use someone like me (or like my friend) to minister to His people and reach people far from Him.  What I do know is this - it has nothing to do with how great I am, and everything to do with how great HE is.  My prayer is that none of us would ever lose sight of the grace, mercy, and power that God pours out on us every day as we serve Him - what an amazing privilege!