After a career in sales, I finally got sick of it. The lies, innuendoes,
false promises that so many gave finally got to me. So I quit-trusting God to
give me a new career. With one of the things I was unable to shake was the
countless sales training seminars I attended. Which later I found out, that the
buyers also attended seminars on how to combat us. An evil game, that I
promised I would never play again. And I vowed to never use my honed sales
techniques in any other job-and I haven't, although I was tempted. I wanted to
trust God, not just say I was.
The best negotiating skills I ever learned were after I quit, and attended
classes on how to get hired. I really became a skilled negotiator, and could
present myself as the right candidate for any job. No matter how qualified I
was, or wasn't. The fine tuning I got put anyone at a disadvantage, including
me, as I now had to choose from positions offered, instead of just attaining the
position. If you would like me to say I always chose right, you won't hear
that. But God still respected my poor choices, which always led to better
ones-when I listened to Him.
During a church visit, we had to endure this couple being praised by the
pastor for teaching classes on what is your gift for ministry. After 30 seconds
I wanted to stand up and shout "shut up," for it was the same old pablum I had
learned in sales. Where was God, how about the Holy Spirit? And my one
question, "could Jesus have done a better job choosing apostles if He had taken
their advice?"
It seems He didn't choose the most qualified, but rather He knew men's
hearts, and His father's will. He chose fisherman, anarchists, tax collectors,
and others to represent what is the most valuable and important message ever to
be told-the gospel. And then sent them out with limited training, which they
didn't understand, and not even an expense account. They had to trust Him.
Working purely commission, they had to trust Jesus, and today we see how right
God was. And is. And will be. Qualified doesn't mean called-in fact to God it
will disqualify many. Look to Jesus....
While attending UNM I was part of a Friday night fellowship, which this one
night John Duffy and I went to together. That night they were studying the
gifts of the spirit, and how each person has one. Except John and I, we were at
a loss. Which tried others patience. So much for fruit. While the others were
all proud of their new gifts, we were perplexed. We had all the qualifications,
and also none of the qualifications. And the leader was upset when we left
after midnight, without a gift assigned. I was driving John home, when we came
upon a horrible accident on University on campus. Police, ambulances, and fire
trucks surrounded the scene, and we stopped, not saying a word, but I could tell
by John's expression he was already praying. We parked, and walked right
through the barricades, past EMT's, and police, and were drawn to a man being
loaded into an ambulance. His stomach was distended, and he appeared in shock.
But somehow, while being loaded, they stopped, and John and I laid hands on him
and prayed. Then they loaded him and took off, sirens and lights flashing. We
walked back to the car in silence, but God put on our hearts how He sent us
there to pray. And this man would be OK, God had us pray for him. For the
man's benefit, but also ours, but mostly God's. To show His love to all of us.
Something I cannot put into words, but you just know when you know God. And
this was a scenario God has repeated many times in my life, and still does. Our
only qualifications were faith and obedience. We trusted God, and then obeyed
Him. All without still knowing what our spiritual gift was. I still don't some
30+ years later.
Man plans, and God laughs. And then we repent. Sometimes. Obedience is
better than sacrifice, and trusting God is better than any skills. We are saved
by grace, and God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. My open heart
surgery situation is all about Jesus. No skills, nothing learned, or even
absolute faith would carry us through-we had to trust. For it was the only
choice available. For who is a better counselor than the mighty counselor? Or
who can save better than the savior, Jesus Christ? So why go to anyone else
other than the creator for help?
Someday, somehow ,when most needed your skills and knowledge will fail
you. God never will. Do you believe that? Do you really trust Him? Today you
will have many chances to find out-in the spirit, self control being part of it,
you will know. The choice is yours. Don't believe the lies of the the
world...when you can have all the riches of heaven in Jesus Christ...
A day came where I was that man being loaded into the ambulance, mine was
called life flight. If not for God... my wife would be a widow, my sons
fatherless. He saved my life to show them grace. And mine to enjoy life with
them, and to tell others. He still has a plan for me, and for you. Trust Him
now, for some day you may be on a gurney, and no doctor can save you. Trust the
only one who can and wants to... Jesus. For His one skill we can never perfect
is love, we can only reflect his. Next time you feel skillful or qualified, I
have these 9 inch nails and a cross...Jesus Christ-now that's a qualification I
can live with.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com
