Unremarkable…
Jesus’ disciples were unremarkable men. There was really nothing special about them. However, that should fill us with hope, because when these men yielded to Him, he used them to turn the world upside down. We too, if we are completely honest with ourselves could be considered unremarkable. We have nothing that can recommend us to God, because we can do nothing to to earn right standing before Him. And yet, when we yield to Him, he can also use us to turn the world upside down.
Think about it. At least four of Jesus’ 12 disciples were commercial fishermen. I have a bunch of those in my family, and I can tell you from firsthand experience that the majority of them have independent, stubborn personalities, and all of them smell like fish. If you get on their bad side, they can hold a grudge, even if you are family. Another was a tax collector. Another was a political radical. There was only one that had the financial acumen, the political know-how, and the personality of a real winner in the lot – Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord. The rest to a man were no one that anyone would consider one of the most important men in a new way of existing and relating to people, the Way, that became known first in Antioch as Christianity.
What must be realized is that without Christ, we are completely incapable in and of ourselves to do anything to advance the Kingdom of God. Our tendency (at least mine) is to roll up our sleeves, set our minds to work, and say something like, “stand back, Lord, I got this…” What a fool I am whenever I do that. Can we preach without the anointing of His Holy Spirit in our lives? Not even the Gospel, which we all know and can recite in less than a minute if we practice. Can we stand in the name of the Lord in our own strength? Not a chance. Can we even think good thoughts of a Godly nature without intervention from Him? I certainly can’t, and doubt anyone else can either. We are truly unremarkable – and that is both the bad and good news.
Our Lord has made plain to us that His strength is seen when we are at our weakest point. Galatians 2:20 points out that although we live, it is not us, but Christ living in us! The life we live is by (literally) the faith of the Son of God! It isn’t even our faith! We live in Him because we have no ability in ourselves for now. (According to Scripture, that comes later.)
If we are completely honest with ourselves, in the light and truth of the living Christ, we too are unremarkable. May we acknowledge that and yield to Him – and may he use US to turn the world upside down.
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