Never Consider Your Resume

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:7-8

When successful companies place men and women in jobs to help them fulfill their mission resumes are carefully studied to be sure that the best qualified people are employed. People with no previous experience are not employed for pivotal jobs. Human resources departments reject applicants who cannot show a track record in that specific job area.

God would not do well as a human resource director in most corporations. When he picked Peter and Paul for their jobs in the early “Kingdom Growth Project” He sent Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles. How smart was that? Peter was “uneducated and untrained” according to Acts 4:13. Peter was a Jew but was not honored because of his lack of education and training. Paul on the other hand was at the top of the Jewish flagpole. Would it not have made much better sense to send Peter to the Gentiles where he might be respected and Paul to the Jews where is credentials gave him immediate standing?

These two outstanding examples of God choosing a man for a specific purpose violate common sense. What was God thinking when He sent Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles?

The answer is clearly this: God’s work is not accomplished by human qualification. He does not depend on what other men think of me. In fact, God often uses men and women who are void of human qualification to accomplish His greatest work. When men and women use their talents and abilities to do God’s work credit for their efforts is often applied to their own account rather than to God.

So when I hear the Lord telling me to do this or that I must never be like Moses who discussed his lack of talents and abilities with God. My talents and abilities are irrelevant. When God wants to use one of His children to part the Red Sea He does not need someone trained in water management.

When you hear His call never consider your resume. When you hear His call, ask yourself “Can God Do This?” If the answer is YES, and it always is, then sit up straight and listen for the Holy Spirit’s direction for the first step. It’s the first step of faith.