When I get discouraged about how I'm doing as far as living up to what a Christian should be - the aim of course is to have the same beautiful spirit as Jesus! - I find encouragement in the people he chose to work with. Look at Peter for instance - a large, loud mouthed, blustery braggard of a man! He was a fisherman - as were a few of the disciples. They were the common, uncouth, working-class men of the day. James and John, also fishermen, were known as the "Sons of Thunder"! Stormy, hot-tempered young men who vied for top positions in the kingdom they thought Jesus would establish. Thomas, who doubted anything he didn't have absolute proof of. Matthew, who sold out his own nation by working as a tax collector for the Roman oppressors, taking from his people when they were already struggling.
In each of these people, Jesus saw value that we might have overlooked. While we might have seen nothing but a lump of rubble, he saw a diamond in the rough. By choosing flawed people like these, instead of religiously "perfect" people, Jesus sends me a message - he can use me too!
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