Does God Qualify The Called Despite Their Flaws?

“God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.”

Mark Batterson

In the past couple of weeks, America has been in an interesting place. Some are in absolute shock and wringing their hands. Others are in a celebratory mood and thanking God for answered prayer. I have witnessed both ends of the spectrum in my friend group recently. Yesterday at church, I witnessed some parishioners crying over the results. My heart did feel for them in their grief to be sure, but on further reflection, some thoughts came to mind. In I Timothy 2:1-2 the scripture says: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Why does the scripture tell us to pray for our leaders?

First, we all have had leaders that we do not like, respect, or even align with their policies, but we can choose to be obedient to God’s commands. What does God command? To pray for those in authority over us and to cover them in prayer. Why? So that we may have some semblance of peace in our time. You may say, “This guy is insane! He’s this or that.” That is all the more reason to pray for said leader. After all, in the words of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” What is the will of Heaven? Justice, compassion, peace and love. 

How can God qualify the called?

For so much of my early adulthood, I believed that Biblical saints were indeed perfect. How else could they be called to serve God? I placed my pastors on pedestals, after all, aren’t they perfect? I placed gifted musicians in the halls of Angels on high. Why else would God bless them with so much talent? To show my naivety, I even placed presidential leaders in that hall of fame. It didn’t take long after my first forays into politics to see that they are an interesting and quite flawed lot. 

The Hall of Fame of Faith gives us some ideas

If you look to Hebrews 11 and the Hall of Fame of faith, you will see a list of sinners with a capital S. Liars, thieves, adulterers, depressed people. You name it, they were there. To give you a little more names to add, what did Jonah do when God told him to minister to the people of Nineveh? He ran away! He was disobedient to God Almighty, a called prophet of God. He did end up in the belly of a large fish to contemplate his disobedience and repented. He did venture to Nineveh and preach to the weary and sinful souls. Moses had a stutter. Can you imagine God appearing to you in a burning bush asking you to lead His people and you say, “Well, I have a stutter!” Moses was also a murderer. Yet God used him in a mighty way to deliver the Israelites from slavery. 

Many flawed souls were called to accomplish God’s plan

I’ve mentioned David before, but his story bears repeating. David was aptly called, “A man after God’s own heart.” What did he do? Where do we start? Murder, adultery, continued lies, disobedience, impetuousness, just to name a few. Yet God equipped him and loved him dearly. The Apostle Paul ruthlessly murdered many Jews, his persecution was vast, yet after a supernatural encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, God equipped him to minister mightily to all those in the surrounding areas. Peter denied Christ three times before He was crucified on the cross. Miriam the prophetess and sister of Moses was a great gossip. Thomas doubted Jesus’ death and resurrection, yet God used him. 

We are all not worthy to walk effortlessly in our callings

Recently I saw a meme that said: “Hate the sin, elect the sinners.” It was meant to be in jest of the many flawed people in authority worldwide. Sure, some are hardened, habitual sinners who much like Pharaoh in the story of old, had completely closed his heart and mind to God’s commands. But others have hearts and minds that are open to God’s voice. If you notice the habitual sinner list that is listed above, you could say that God in His almighty wisdom both called and equipped them. They simply had to possess an open and willing heart. 

How do we use these Biblical stories to apply to us today?

There are a lot of things that are not certain in life, but one thing that we can count on? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is part of the Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are unchangeable. Isn’t that a comfort? Their love for us, their desire for peace in our lives never falters. That doesn’t mean that we will never have difficulty (if only.) But rather we have Him to give us peace in the midst of difficult circumstances. We may have leaders that we don’t agree with, we may think the worst of them and those around them, but we have God’s unchangeableness through prayer and supplication to ask them to qualify them for the task that they have been called to. 

God equips and calls leaders today

Much like leaders and Biblical figures of the past, and some great leaders that walk among us today; God can equip them to hear His voice and leadership. They are elected sinners with pasts that might make a sailor blush, but through God’s grace and our supplication, He can bring His will to be done. Just like those leaders, we too can walk in our callings that God has given us in this life. Isn’t it wonderful that we serve a God of second chances? Sometimes those chances are third, fourth, sixth, etc.. but He gives them because of His love for us. 

As we navigate through this new and unprecedented time, may we rely on prayer, a humble spirit and forgiveness to get us through. I leave you all with the wonderful words of Corrie Ten Boom, a woman who sat in a concentration camp facing death for helping those in need: “It is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.