Skip to main content

Are You "Choose-able"?

I find it fascinating when parts of Scripture “jump out” at me and hit me in a new way. It is particularly encouraging to me when it is one of those passages that, due to the story being told, it is somewhat “hidden” or “buried” along the way and can be easily missed or glanced over.

One such passage is in Acts, Chapter one and revolves around the encounter with the Disciples. They had an important decision to make. They needed to determine who they were going to choose to replace Judas (Judas had killed himself after betraying Jesus).  

As the story unfolds, it isn’t too hard to figure out that there are only two men up for the election. As the event unfolds, we see in Acts 1:26, "They then drew lots between the two men." And the one chosen was Matthias. The one who “didn’t get the job” was a man name Joseph Barsabbas.

This is where it hit me….not that Matthias was chosen, but with a 50-50 chance, Joseph Barsabbas was not chosen; he was passed over. He was fully qualified. He had the ability. He was talented enough and had “what it takes” because, after all, he was one of the candidates picked out for consideration. However, despite all he was…all he had done…all that he accomplished was still not enough…he wasn’t chosen. He had to move on with his life in a different direction.

Does that sound like a few scenarios in your life? Have you ever been passed over for a job promotion? Maybe you didn’t get selected as “employee of the month,” or didn’t make varsity and not even JV? Have there been times you went months without receiving job offers despite numerous resumes and job interviews? Have you ever lost out to your sibling for a parent's attention? Now what do you do?

We can learn lessons from all we know about Joseph Barsabbas:

* Joseph followed Jesus wherever He went (Acts 1:21).  
* Joseph was faithful over the long haul. He stayed in the company of the disciples  from beginning to end (Acts 1:22).  
* Joseph did not seek honors for himself; but was nominated by the others (Acts 1:23).  
* Joseph was a powerful, faithful disciple, worthy of being an apostle.  
* Joseph joined the leaders and Matthias in humbly seeking God's will (Acts 1:24).  
* Joseph was ready to serve God if he was chosen.  

After Matthias was chosen, we hear no more about Joseph…at all. However, it's likely that Joseph responded to being "un-chosen" by living the same faithful, committed life as always.  Joseph may not have been chosen, but he lived in such a way, that he was prepared, able, and willing to get himself in the position of having what it takes to be choose-able.

Like Joseph, we can be faithful servants of God, "each of [us] doing only what the Lord assigned" us (1 Corinthians 3:5). Even if we don’t get the job, win the award, get passed over for some position or didn’t receive due favor or recognition, we are always "chosen and precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:4).

Don’t grow weary or faint (Galatians 6:9)….continue to study, learn, and grow to show yourself proven (2 Timothy 2:15)….don’t worry about what other’s are doing (John 21:21-22)….learn, seek, grow, serve, obey, share, empower, mentor….many things we can do. So, choose to stay faithful, thankful, and humble. You know, stay in the position of being qualified and worthy of being “choose-able.”

Popular posts from this blog

Tetelestai!

Just before Jesus gives up His spirit on the cross, He utters a very powerful word. The word that He cries out is “ tetelestai” (tih-tellis-tie). When literally translated, this word means, “It is finished.” It can also refer to something completed or accomplished. The word occurs in  John 19:28  and 19:30 and these are the only two places in all of the New Testament where it is found. In the John19:28 passage, it is translated, “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now  completed , in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I thirst.’” Two verses later, he utters the word himself: “Then when he received the sour wine Jesus said, ‘ It is finished ,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”   Did you know that the word  tetelestai  was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full? The Greek-English lexicon (by Moulton and Milligan) sa...
Read more

The 50-Days of Easter

Jesus rose from the dead. Period! He is alive. We are “easter people” and live daily as proof that He is risen from the dead. He did walk out of the grave. He conquered death. Jesus not only came back to life, but He stayed on earth to be seen by many witness.   1 Corinthians 15:5-8 , “ He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”   After the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days on earth before He ascended back to His rightful place (1 Peter 3:22), and then there were ten more days after that before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47).   Jesus accomplished many things in this time between His resurrection and return to Heaven. One of the most important was actually a command to us. We refer to this impor...
Read more

Not Rejected

I think we could spend hours, if not days, in just the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. If there is one thing that is made clear in this writing is that God is passionately pursuing us and bidding us to have a relationship with Him that is restored by His Son, Jesus.   There is one verse, in particular, that stands out to me. John 6:37 , “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” Those that come to Jesus will never be rejected. If you come to Jesus, just as you are now, he will not turn you away. He gladly welcomes you to come to him.   It is not God’s design or plan that we live separated from Him. He makes the way for that relationship to happen. He initiated the plan. He paid the price. He gives freely. He gives us free-will to choose or reject that offer of reconciliation through Jesus, His Son.   God makes His intent clear:  Ezekiel 33:11 , “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the ...
Read more