God Uses Imperfect People

Life happens. People makes choices--good and bad everyday. Then we judge ourselves and others based on those choices.

I guess I have been thinking about this a lot lately. So when I saw the video "Flaws of Biblical Proportion" on a local churches Facebook page I thought I would share it with you. It's a funny, creative skit about all the "messed up" people that God used to do great things.

I hope you enjoy this video and get a few laughs while you remember that God can use flawed people like me and like you.

Flaws of Biblical Proportions - Finding the Perfect Small Group Leader from rightnow.org on GodTube.

Words Bite

I must confess that lately I have been very weak. I have struggled in my Christian walk and I have struggled in being the Christian woman I desire to be. God used this morning to convict me and remind me of one very important thing…words hurt.

It is sad that so often—like today—we let our tongues get away from us. I don’t know about you but when I get angry I can say the meanest and most hurtful things even if I don’t mean them (which is even worse). It’s no wonder that the Bible speaks so strongly about the evils caused by tongue!

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” James 3:1-9

Unfortunately it is WAY to easy to tear someone apart with the words that come out of our mouths. Word bite! I don’t know who made up the “Sticks and Stones” nursery rhyme, but they must have been out of their minds. Of course words will hurt you! Yes, it may not be a physical pain or hurt but emotional hurts are often more deadly. They lead us to fight back or to take rash actions that we would have never considered otherwise.

I pray that you and I will both learn from my mistakes and take better care to keep a reign on our tongues.


More Resources

“They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear.” Psalm 64:3-4

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

“Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.” Proverbs 21:23

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” James 1:26

Life Under the Microscope

Being in ministry is like living under a microscope. Everyone is constantly looking at you to see what you are doing, when you are doing it, and how you are doing it. I think it actually makes some people feel better about themselves if they can catch a minister doing something wrong. They want to be able to say "At least I didn't do what pastor so and so did the other night." It's kinda sick really.

However sick and twisted this is, I have also found it to be true. As minister's and minister's wives we are called to have a higher standard and to be set apart because of God's calling (1 Thess. 4:7). I simply find it frustrating that the willingness of others to tear each other down to make themselves look better adds so much stress to a life that is hard enough already.

Don't people know that it is hard enough to live a life worthy of the calling we have received (Eph. 4:1)! In order to glorify God and minimize stress, we should follow this scriptural advice: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:14-16.

This doesn't mean that we should let everyone walk all over us and push us around and treat us like garbage. BUT what it does mean is that we should do everything in our life to please Christ. If we aren't doing anything that Christ would disapprove of then we should be living a life worthy of being under the microscope. If people look at us and scrutinize us they should see Christ first and foremost. Then the imperfections don't seem so bad.