I Corinthians 1:26-30
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.’
God often chooses the most unqualified to do His work. Throughout scriptures, we find several instances, where God took someone unqualified and gave them a central place in His plan. Indeed God often chooses the foolish things to confound the wise.
And even today God continues to use unqualified men and women to shine forth His glory in the earth. Nicky Cruz is one of these people.
In the 1950s, gang violence was sweeping through New York city. One of the fearsome gangs then, was the Mau Mau gang. And their leader was a fierce, notorious, young man named Nicky Cruz.
Nicky was fearless and seemingly immune to physical pain. And due to his rugged reputation he rose through the ranks of the notorious gang to become their War Lord.
However, Nicky Cruz’s life was on a downward spiral of violence and dysfunction. He was at loggerheads with the law and the police were after him. A psychiatrist, during one of Nicky’s court appearances, told the court that Nicky was doomed…finished…on a one-way trip to jail, the electric chair and hell.”
Even Nicky’s own parents had rejected him. His own mother called him the son of the devil. Unable to live with him, at 15 years, his parents had sent him away to live with a relative, but on the way there, Nicky had run away and began to live on the streets, where he eventually became the leader of the maumau gang.
There seemed absolutely nothing good about Nicky’s life. Nobody expected him to live long, talk less of amounting to anything in life.
However at this time, God sent a young preacher named David Wilkerson to begin to hold evangelical meetings in Brooklyn, in the neighborhood where Nicky operated as the warlord. One day while holding a meeting in the war-torn streets of Brooklyn, David came face to face with Nicky. David Wilkerson said to him, “Jesus loves you.” On hearing this Nicky responded by spitting on the preacher, slapping him and threatening to kill him. But David told Nicky ‘Even if you kill me and cut me into a thousand pieces, every piece of me will still love you.’
Next time David attempted again to convert Nicky, he received the same response. But David didn’t give up. Later, he organized an evangelistic meeting in the neighborhood. When Nicky heard about it, he headed with some of the members of his gang to the arena, to disrupt the meeting. But when they arrived at the arena, an unexpected thing happened. Immediately, Nicky’s gang began to feel a deep conviction, as The Holy Ghost worked on them. These hardened young men, began suddenly to feel sorry for their past evil deeds. When David gave an altar call, a large number of the gang members responded, including their leader Nicky Cruz. David prayed with them and led them to a new life in Christ.
And from then on, these gang members became transformed. They went to the police and turned in all their weapons. The police were shocked and amazed at the change in their lives. Nicky Cruz began to study the Bible and later went to Bible college.
Nicky would go on to become a preacher. He began travelling around the world sharing his testimony with millions of people. His life story is told in the best-selling book, The Cross and the Switchblade, which was made into a movie of the same title. A full length Hollywood movie titled thousand pieces, based on his life story was also released in 2013.
Today Nicky Cruz is the best-selling author of many books and is the president of Nicky Cruz Outreach, and Executive Producer of TRUCE, an international discipleship and evangelism ministry dedicated to reaching and mentoring young people. The Wall Street Journal has described Nicky as the “Billy Graham of the streets.”
Many people, including Nicky’s parents are shocked at how his life has eventually turned out. For someone whom no one gave a chance, who was written off by society and even by his own parents, it is indeed amazing what God has done with Nicky’s life.
This is why no man can predict the final outcome of anyone’s life, except Jehovah Himself.
Therefore never allow anyone to limit or underrate what God can do with your life. God is not looking for the qualified, rather He is looking for those He will qualify. It doesn’t matter your situation or circumstance, you can be uneducated, untalented, too poor, too old etc. Whatever your case, only God has the final say over the eventual outcome of your life. In a very real sense not one of us is qualified, but rather God calls us and then qualifies us.
I Corinthians 1:26-30 says “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.’
Men may look at you and see a ‘nobody’. But then God looks at you and sees a ‘somebody’. This is why you don’t need to be bothered by men’s opinion, but rather concern yourself with God’s vision.
In Abraham’s time men saw a man too old for his assignment. But God saw an obedient vessel, through whom He could do a quick work. And from the unqualified Abraham, God has today brought forth a trans-generational icon, who is a father of many nations.
During David’s time, what men saw was a shepherd boy, a “nobody”. But God saw a mighty warrior and a king.
Though we are often short sighted, God always sees the big picture!
We are all works in progress. It is not about our strength, it is about the God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is not about our ability, It’s about our availability. We may not see the full picture, but as we obey God daily, His plan is gradually being fulfilled.
In the eyes of men we may not look qualified enough, but God who has called us, knows how to qualify and prepare us for the assignment. Our lives and times are in His hands. This is why we keep looking up to Him, knowing that faithful is He who has called us who also will do it.
Jeremiah 32:27 asks ‘is there anything too difficult for God? What His mouth has said concerning us, His hand is also able to accomplish. So it doesn’t matter what men may think. It doesn’t matter how you may even feel sometimes about yourself, what matters is what God thinks about you. And He says the thoughts He thinks towards you are thoughts of good and not of evil to give you an expected end. There is an expected end He has foreordained for you. It is a glorious end. And though the enemy may have tried very hard in the past to distort God’s plan for you, what matters is that you will arrive at your expected end. God has pre-planned and preordained how your story will end. So be rest assured you will not die in poverty, you will not die in sickness, you will not die in obscurity, you will not die as a ‘nobody’. Though your beginning may have been small, your later end shall greatly increase. God’s gifts and callings are without repentance. That good thing God has purposed concerning you, He will surely bring it to pass. Nicky Cruz started out as a gang leader, but today He has ended up as Gospel preacher. So it doesn’t matter how you may have started, according to God’s plan, you will surely end well in Jesus Name.
God is committed to ensuring you run this race and finish your course. So that you can obtain the crown laid up for you. This is why we cooperate with The Word of God and The Spirit, as they guide us on the road of destiny. And though we may not be qualified, as we follow on in obedience, we will eventually arrive at our glorious destiny in Jesus Name.
PRAYER: Lord, please help to stop worrying about my limitations, or how unqualified I may be. Help me to see indeed that through Christ I can do all things. I know by Your grace I will run this race and finish my course. Thank You for enabling me to end well and finish strong in Jesus Name. .
quote
When God places His hand upon a man in life nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]