Qualified

No one can disqualify me quicker and more decisively than I can. I struggle to provide a list of things that I’m good at or even things that I enjoy about myself at times. But give me an opportunity to argue against myself and point out my flaws and I’ll sound like a seasoned lawyer on an open-and-shut case. Ironically, as if I were playing the parts of the lawyer, jury, and judge, I imprison myself with this way of thinking. What is it about me that constantly focuses on my inability, opposed to what I’m capable of? Why am I my worst enemy?

I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way I can point out my imperfection, is if I have an idea of what perfection looks like, and miss the mark. If you’re anything like me, then you are not guilty for falling short of this standard, you are guilty for having it in the first place. I say this because if there is a flaw in the measuring stick that I use to determine how close to, or how far from perfection I’ve landed, then I will never realize my actual results.

Often times it takes someone else to point out the greatness in us before we see it within ourselves. Jesus did exactly that for His disciples in Matthew 18.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 16:18-20)

Jesus saw his disciples as capable men. So capable that he entrusted them with “The Great Commission,” and continuing to fulfill the ministry in his stead. But how? Every single one of them expressed doubt and/or deliberately denied Jesus when things looked to be falling apart. At this point, they didn’t exactly look like the dream team that you’d expect considering how awesome their Coach was. If anybody was worthy of disqualification then it was this group of men. Thankfully, Jesus was using the right measuring stick!

As the disciples are given this grand task to make disciples for themselves, I’m sure they recalled the perfect object lesson that Jesus provided through the miracle of feeding the four thousand in Mark 8. Due to Jesus’ ever increasing fame, a great multitude of people followed him and his disciples to the point of hunger. Jesus had compassion and wouldn’t turn them away, but the disciples had no idea how they would satisfy them all. Knowing that the disciples wouldn’t have even close to the amount of food necessary, Jesus asks, “How many loaves do you have?” With urgency, the disciples scrambled to give Jesus all that they had. Jesus then performed one of the greatest miracles known to man.

Just as the disciples gave Jesus all that they had, we are supposed to do the same. Even though there are countless areas of our lives that seem insufficient or completely useless, through Christ, we are more than qualified to fulfill the task at hand.

Faithfully give him all that you have and just watch what happens!

Jeremiah Wallace