The Miracle of God’s Choice
Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips,d and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
~Isaiah 6:5
For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am.
~1 Corinthians 15:9-10a
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
~Luke 5:8
Simon Peter, Paul, and Isaiah were ordinary people who experienced extraordinary grace. They were ordinary in the sense that they were sinners, people unworthy to be heralds of God’s love. And each of them in the passages above recognize this. God, however, often uses the least likely candidates to carry his message. What’s the secret? Our repentance, our willingness, and most important, his grace. God’s generous grace is evident throughout the entire canon of Scripture. All we have to do is read and open our eyes and ears to the Holy Spirit’s message. It is plain to see: God employs the least likely but willing people as ambassadors of his Gospel. And each one of us, whether we are aware of it or not, has in some way been called to do the same.
Throughout this week, let us all look at our lives and notice the moments when we are called to be agents of Jesus Christ’s love. Let us not make the mistake of restricting our vision to the mountaintop experiences or the sudden flashes of light on the road to Damascus. Although these events can happen in our lives, they are extremely rare. We should, however, look for the small moments of each day when we are called to smile, be kind, say hello, strike up a conversation, apologize, give someone our place in line, be welcoming, or just listen. When we harness these small, mild moments in love, we are channeling God’s loving grace to make the world a better place. It is something we can all do in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
Have a blessed week!
Stan
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