Jesus did not choose the best. He chose disciples who fought with each other, who jockeyed for leadership, who asked stupid questions, and who ran away while he hung dying. They were not the best. They had no experience in public speaking, anger management, catechesis, team building, or chairing committees.

Yet the church survived. One of the proofs that Christianity is divinely inspired is that our founders didn’t know what they were doing, and still the faith spread far and wide.

Saint Paul told the Corinthians that God chose “the foolish of the world to shame the wise,” “The weak to shame the strong,” “those who count for nothing to reduce to nothing those who were something.” He wasn’t talking about the apostles. He was talking about the Corinthians. God chose them, even though they were not the best. God did this so that people would not trust in their own strengths, but would trust in God. God can use people no matter how limited their gifts are.

All around us are people God has chosen for ministry. They may not be the best at what they do, but they do it because God wants it done.

God does not always choose the best. But God chooses people anyway. God wants you for something, too. Have you ever said no because you thought you couldn’t do it? Might it be that God will do it, once you say yes?

Written by Paul Turner. Liturgy Training Publications
Copyright 2004, Archdiocese of Chicago