Are You Too Accomplished For God To Use?

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty..." 1st Corinthians 1:26-27 It used to embarrass me when I was in traffic and sitting behind a dilapidated car with Christian decals on it. It seemed to me a poor witness for Christ. You rarely if ever, will see such decals on the bumpers of new and expensive cars ...and that speaks volumes. Then I happened on this Scripture one day and the light went on. In this world, believers are mocked and the rich and "successful" are esteemed. But in the world to come, in many cases it will be the very opposite. When Jesus walked this earth he chose twelve men to follow him, and these men would eventually go on to change the world. Two thousand years later the fruit of their ministries remains; in these two thousand years later, multiplied millions have been saved, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb to live in heaven with Christ forever - as a result of the ministry of these men. It is very noteworthy that when Jesus chose his disciples, he deliberately bypassed the leaders and intellectuals of the day, the learned and honored Pharisees and Saducees who were the religious representatives and teachers of the people. Not only did he bypass them in his selection of followers, he gave them scathing rebuke and called them painted and decorated tombs, (Matthew 23:27). God doesn't need our greatness. He needs our humility. ANY work that succeeds in the Kingdom is going to be HIS doing, not ours. The great apostle Paul who WAS an accomplished and educated man, had to be humbled before God could use him. Because of Paul's greatness, a messenger of Satan was assigned to buffet him in order to keep him humble. Three times he pleaded with God to set him free of it, but the Lord said "No." God could not use Paul in his strength, he could only use him in weakness: "And he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2nd Corinthians 12:9 If you are not wise, or mighty, or noble, you are a perfect candidate for God to do great things through you. People of this sort willingly surrender to the Lord and allow him to have his way in their lives. They willingly follow his lead. These are they who are close to the heart of God. They care only about him. They will endure whatever they have to endure in order to be the channel through which God will work his mighty works in reaching out to a lost and dying world. On the other hand, if you are great - take some time and seek the Lord in surrender. Ask him to make you usable to him, no matter what that will mean - and be willing to let him humble you if necessary. Surrender all of yourself before him, and let him come in and deal with what needs to be eliminated. Let him remake you according to his will. When you are fully surrendered, then and only then will you be usable to him. Then and only then can your calling and election be made sure. Then and only then will you find success in all that you do, because it will not be you, it will be HIM. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you." 1st Peter 5:5-6