No Résumé Required
As adults, we’ve probably all been on our fair share of job interviews. As daunting as they may be for some, others are in their element, when they can talk up their strengths and qualifications. Although some jobs do require specific experience, I think sometimes, employers would prefer someone fresh out of school, someone they don’t have to “untrain” or deal with any bad accumulated habits.
As believers of Jesus Christ, we encounter people all the time that feel like they aren’t “qualified” to be saved, that their past is too sordid to appeal to the God in Heaven. But nothing could be farther from the truth. When we read about Jesus and His mission here on Earth, He didn’t seek out the most experienced, or those who appeared to have it all together. No, look who He chose for His disciples. A tax collector, a thief, a politician, some fisherman…you get the idea. Jesus didn’t seek out high ranking personnel, instead He liked to hang out with prostitutes, lepers, and those who others found repulsive or offensive, like the religious leaders of the day.
Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for not practicing what they preached. These teachers were supposed to know God and help others to know Him too, yet they did not have pure motives and they were full of pride. Matthew 23:5 says “They do all their deeds to be seen by men,” meaning they wanted others to think they were important, worthy of respect. Matthew 6:5 teaches us that “when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” So, you see, Jesus wasn’t impressed with their hearty prayers or their pious authority, He saw right through it all and they hated Him for it.
God isn’t interested in what the world says qualifies you as a Christian. Truth is, the only thing that qualifies you as a “Christian” is your belief in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ and His perfect grace. He’s not interested in your resume, your past experience, or what you bring to the table. He wants you just as you are, so He can train you into the person He created you to be.