God Uses the Unlikely

“And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27).

Jesus’ message to the people was shocking. He did his work through lepers, Gentiles, and women just as Elisha did. Elijah and Elisha condemned Israel for their lack of faith; Jesus, too, confronted their unbelieving hearts. Israel often rejected the prophets, and they were about to reject Jesus.

Whenever a person with great talents or gifts declares his or her intention to “go into the ministry,” or to use those gifts somehow in God’s service, people are pleased and excited. They may even say, “What a great impact someone like that can have for the Lord!” But when another person with lesser gifts, a less-pleasing personality, or even a checkered past announces that he or she feels called to serve God, the response is likely to be less enthusiastic. God, however, seems to delight in using the unlikely to accomplish his purposes. Jesus reminded his listeners (in Luke 4:27) that the only leper healed in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha was a detested Syrian; they were outraged. By their response, they revealed their racist attitude and arrogance. Are there people, or groups, that you believe are unworthy of being used by God? The truth is, no one is worthy, but God sees fit to use people anyway. Don’t be too quick to dismiss others because of their perceived unlikeliness as God’s servants.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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