Unlikely Lads

I am glad that the Spirit is not looking to fill people the way employers are looking for potential employees.

The recruitment process in work can at times be a bit like how Samuel approached the anointing of the second king of Israel. I say a bit like it, because there are occasions when the appearances are not even considered because of the ‘not what you know, but who you know’ factor.

I am glad, however, that reading the scripture there are so many unlikely lads. (And by lads I include the ladies too!) Elijah wasn’t obvious. Abraham isn’t the first guy you would necessarily think of. That shepherd dude in the back of beyond is not the bloke people would have rallied behind and thought was a man after God’s own heart.

You would not have thought that this niece of a scholar would be elevated into the palace of the King and become the next Queen of the ruling empire and be pivotal in rescuing the Jews from potential genocide. Of course at this time of year folks recall that of all the women in all the world the chances of anyone picking this virgin Mary to be the one to carry the Messiah would have been remote to say the least. How about those twelve blokes that He made apostles – are you kidding me? Them? No chance.

Working at the YMCA when I did I came across other characters who seemed the least likely to succeed. Coming from the background I did, it was easy for me to immediately bracket certain people as likely to succeed and not so likely. Those years at the YMCA taught me the lesson not to call anyone unlikely to succeed who God had said is likely to succeed. That meant giving people opportunities. That meant taking time to understand more of what made people tick. Searching beyond the surface and recognising that where others might write people off, that was often God’s favourite time to make the unlikely lads the very successes that brings him glory.

The stereotyping plays a big part in church culture despite the list of characters in our holy book that would suggest it would be unwise to stereotype. Cliques are formed, man-made standards are set, certain model types fit the standards and are deemed suitable for a position. So it’s a delight seeing God burst those bubbles and recognising that He is not obliged to fit our neat cliques and conform to our standards. It’s a challenge to see Him stretch how we glorify Him in ways and means and through people and opportunities we never considered likely before.

This affects how I engage with people at work and in church. I will tell you straight up, there are some folks who it would be very easy for me to write off. They’re annoying, they’re shallow, they’re often making foolish statements, they’re childish – there is no chance God could possibly want to use … oh, oh wait a minute, oh look at what He’s doing in her life. Look at what He’s done in His life. Oh. Well. Fair enough.

It’s an ongoing challenge to see that in God, but it remains the reality of who He is – He is the God who takes the simple of the world to confound the wise. He is the God for the Unlikely Lads.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden