For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. I Corinthians 1:26-31 (KJV)

The other day I woke up and the Lord was speaking to me about my childhood years. I had trouble learning in school- it didn’t come easy for me. And I struggled to pay attention. Back then, no one talked much about learning disabilities. The teacher smacked me on my hands with a ruler in the first grade. In another grade I was actually tied to my chair by the teacher. In ore than one class, the teacher separated the “smart” students from those who were not so smart. You can guess which group I was placed in every time. Because I was not taught in a way that I could learn, I failed the 1st, 6th, and 10th grades. I remember my friends moving on and I felt so misplaced. I had to make new friends. I eventually got involved in drugs and ended up dropping out of school after I failed the 10th grade. The drugs so messed up my mind that I could not process simple information and my speech was slurred. I tell you these things not so you feel sorry for me, but so you can see what an unlikely candidate I was to be a success in life.

Because God takes great pleasure in using what others would discard, I was welcomed back by God when I rededicated my life to Him at age 19. He refilled me with the Holy Spirit (I was saved and filled originally at age 9). My mind was healed and I was able to speak clearly. Eventually, God opened the door for me to go to Bible College and I now have a Doctorate of Ministry degree. What a far cry from the little boy who couldn’t learn!

Although I was saved and on a better path, I still made some serious mistakes. i married young and I ended up divorced twice. And that made it difficult to be ordained by certain organizations. But, God came through again and I achieved my ordination, not to mention a wonderful wife that ministers by my side and has been my partner in life for nearly 28 years.

So, to recap, I had learning disabilities, got burned out on drugs, went through two painful divorces, and the list goes on. But I know I am chosen by God to minister on His behalf. God chooses us not based on who we are, but on who He is. He doesn’t select us because of what we can do for Him, but because of what he can do through us. It’s His power- we’re just vessels.

God really does us the weak to confound the strong and the foolish to confound the wise. He takes the lowly, the despised that the world sees as nothing, and turns them into something. He uses them to set things right in this world. Those whom the world rejects, God accepts. God chooses whom He uses. He chose us and we must choose Him by saying yes to Him and the calling He has for us. God chooses things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are- God is the great Equalizer. And, as a result, God gets all the glory.