Have you ever noticed who God chooses to use to further His kingdom?  Just a few mentioned in the Bible are a murderer, an adulterer, a scheming tax collector, a man of “stammering lips”, a donkey, …then there’s you – made from dirt.  Yea, I’m talking about you; you come from dirt. It’s in the Bible.  Doesn’t seem to make sense, does it?  We’re made in the image of God, but we come from dirt. If He is the God Christians proclaim Him to be then He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He uses gold as gravel to pave the streets of heaven, and He fashions gates from pearl – just to name a few things.  He’s such a big God with riches unknown at His disposal….yet he chooses to make his creations from the second most-abundant matter on earth: dirt. Dirt, the unlikely candidate, resonates with how unlikely some of us can be, too.   The obvious choice for King would have been anyone other than a little shepherd boy with an affinity for a harp and a sling.  It seems like the mother of Jesus would have been someone other than Mary – maybe someone of a royal lineage.  Moreover, why would the Heavenly Father allow Sarah to become pregnant and have a child when she was in her 90’s?  Sometimes I don’t understand God.  My human mind has trouble comprehending why He does what He does.  I can’t fathom why He would choose someone like you or me.  But, then I think about God and his perspective.  He saw dirt as a canvas with which he could create man. He sees things differently than we do. And, I think I’m beginning to understand why.

God has better eyes than we do.  Yes, we’re made in His image, but we are not exact replicas. This fact is exhibited by our imperfectness and inabilities.  In that same way our human eyes are flawed.  In most settings or situations we see what is right in front of our eyes; nothing more, nothing less.  That fact alone leaves us at an instant handicap.  But God has an ability to look at something seemingly worthless and find its value.  He can look beyond our faults and see who we have the ability to become.  Before the moment of conception, His will for our lives existed.  We were created for a purpose.  We were created with a purpose.  Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  One version says we are God’s masterpiece.  Look around you.  Do you see that person who, to you, seems worthless because of their blatant laziness?  They have a God-given purpose – but apparently they haven’t discovered it.  Now look in the mirror.  I know, I know.  Looking in the mirror can be uncomfortable for us all sometimes.  You are God’s masterpiece!  You are an amazing and original work of art…..even if you don’t like what you see.  YOU HAVE PURPOSE!  YOU – just like dirt – are one of God’s unlikely candidates.  YOU have value.  Now, another question: have you discovered that purpose?  No?  What are you waiting for?  Have you reached out to that person you thought was worthless to remind them they have a God-given purpose as well?  What are you waiting for?  Start living your life like the masterpiece you were created to be.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  We are living in the last days, and living life in cruise-control isn’t an option any longer.  It’s my prayer we (I include myself) will begin seeing ourselves through God’s eyes and set about fulfilling His purpose for our lives.  I encourage you today (again, I include myself), rather than sit in judgment of and look down on those around us we view as worthless, lets point them in His direction.  If God can use a donkey, surely He can use you or me!