Sometimes God uses a person who we would not have considered suitable to do something that needs doing. A shake of the head, raised eyebrows, sharply indrawn breath from the people of the time. I wonder how often we have thought something similar when a person has been given a position or a task to do. I know I have at times, but thought “Oh well, good luck, you’re going to need it!” Occasionally I’ve joined the ‘told you so’ brigade when it’s not worked out, but there have also been times when I’ve been pleasantly surprised and pleased for the person who has proved me wrong.
In the Old Testament there was a young man due to become a leader of the Jewish nation. But he had a bad temper when things did not go his way. He was an early edition of the “Angry Young Man”. He was not only strong, but strong willed too. Against his father’s wishes he went courting a young Philistine woman and married her. At the wedding feast he set a riddle for a bet and when it was answered because his wife betrayed him, he went to another Philistine village and killed enough men and took their clothes to pay the debt. Then he went back to his family and sulked for a while. When he went back for his wife he found she had been given to another man because her father decided the young man didn’t want her. So he went into the fields and burned all their crops in retaliation. It was probably only because of his great strength that he could get away with it. He became a strong warrior and leader. Eventually he fell in love with another Philistine woman and, after much begging and cajoling on her part, he told her the secret of his strength. Of course, she told her people and they were able to take him and imprison him. They blinded him and made fun of him. Then finally, as his strength returned, he was able with God’s help to take thousands of Philistines with him when he died. You knew it was Samson from the start, but had you ever thought of him this way?
It is another example of how God can use whoever He chooses, to do what needs to be done. So remember that whatever sort of person, with whatever talents you may or may not have, you are welcomed by God and can be of service to Him as He pleases.
Perhaps He doesn’t need another Angry Young Man at present, but how would I know? I do know He wants each of us and maybe you are one of those that He needs too.
Jim Finch
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