Today we talk about Imperfection and how God loved and used everyday people who were far from perfect. We really do not have to be masters of our game in order to do something significant and worthwhile; as a matter of fact this post will show and suggest that you actually need to be the opposite for God to use you. Some of the people looked at are people easily overlooked; if we were to examine their lives we would see that they were no different from us. They were ordinary people trying to live a meaningful life, aspiring as we do daily to make our lives better. They were ordinary people who had their own issues, their own challenges, their own hopes just as we do. They were people struggling with faith issues and loving each other just as we are. They were not perfect; they were people who loved God but still failed him and God loved them and used them anyway.

So we will look at 7 Imperfect people that God Loved and used for a greater purpose demonstrating that no matter who you are, if you did not have a sense of belonging and if you often feel stigmatized, God will use you. If you feel unnoticed, like a cast away, even if you should choose to hide, God will put you in the limelight for His Glory. If  YOU are who God is looking for simply allow Him to do wonders through you.

LEAH – As I think about Leah I am brought back to a time in High School when I always felt like I did not fit in. I did not feel pretty, I did not feel smart and I do believe that is where I started to shrink and play small. As I reflect I can’t help but think that perhaps this is how Leah must have felt measured against Rachel who was her younger more beautiful sister. Leah was married to Jacob through a deception conjured by her father Laban. Imagine when Jacob woke the next morning and saw Leah instead of Rachel who he had worked so hard for. The rejection and knowledge of Jacob’s love for her sister could not have been an easy thing to handle. God however saw Leah heart – her commitment to Him and her love for her Husband Jacob; God rescued her emotionally by showing her his Love and blessing her womb. Leah was not an attractive and beautiful woman but

• It was through her that six of the 12 tribes of Israel came about.
• It was through Judah’s lineage – Leah’s fourth son – that Jesus came.

GIDEON – Whenever I get a chance to reflect on the story of Gideon I am always amused for very good reason. I am amused because the name Gideon when I did my research means “destroyer”, and then I think about Gideon and his personality when God called him to lead an army against the Midanites. He was visited by an angel and called “O brave man” but alas Gideon was far from confident, his first words were very questioning – how can he – coming from the least family and added to that being the smallest person in his family go up against an army. Gideon proceeded to ask for many signs that would convince him that he was indeed chosen to lead the army. Gideon was a “nobody” in the big picture of the Israelites and yet God loved him. God was also patient with Gideon while he battled with the fact that despite his status his true worth was that of being a leader. God showed him favor by choosing him to go up against the enemy and with only 300 men. How many of us are battling with our identity not thinking ourselves worthy. God is prepared to use us if we move past our limiting beliefs and position ourselves to be used.

SAMSON – this is a story that got me emotional as a child but as a mature adult I now understand the implications of what Samson did. It does not prevent me from wishing that he had a better ending but the story of Samson showed me that even when we fall from grace we can still be used once we recognize and accept and appreciate the lesson. When we humble ourselves we can still be used. When we remember that God is in control, He can change us and use us. Samson unfortunately placed a woman before God and fell from God’s grace. Samson repented and eventually was placed by God in a position where he was able to kill many of the Philistines who were keeping the Israelites oppressed.

PETER – when I think about Peter, I think of someone who is very erratic – acts without thinking. Maybe I will go as far as to say he was a people pleaser,  but God saw through all of Peter’s faults and imperfections. Can you imagine being faced with the same situation as Peter did, “admit that you know Christ and be killed or deny Christ and live?” I know many of us would respond  to Jesus the way Peter did, but ultimately, can you really say that you would “stick to your guns?” Would you really choose to die if faced with that situation? We did not have the opportunities that Peter did; the closeness to Jesus, to dine with him, to touch him etc. So Peter did the worst thing possible, he denied knowing Christ we ought to be glad that God is not like man, need I say more. Despite denying Jesus, Peter went on to being a great influence in the Church and the life of many Christians. Despite doing something that many of us today may have shaken our heads and say condemningly “how could he have done such a thing”  God used Peter tremendously. Have you made a great mistake recently? Simply ask for forgiveness and move on with a desire to sin no more and believe that God will still use you, because He will.

MOSES – for all the individuals who fear speaking up and speaking out – just remember Moses. Moses had a speech impediment but that did not prevent God from loving him and blessing him to lead the people out of Israel. God placed the words within him, God told him what to say. Understand that God uses people who feel they cannot and empower them to I can, that is what He did for Moses. God knows us, as he told Jeremiah; he formed us in our mother’s womb and blessed us long before we were a thought. No matter how Moses tried to convince himself that he was not a leader, God showed him something different. There is no hiding from it, only walking into it – walk into the predestined greatness that God has planned out for you. Are you denying your greatness, trying to hide from God? You cannot hide, if God is showing you who you are, believe and walk into it. Like He did for imperfect Moses, God will tell you what to say, how to act – do not worry, He has you covered. God does not call the equipped, he equips the called.

RAHAB – the prostitute who God used greatly. Rahab did not know what was coming to her; would I be fair in saying that Rahab was trying to save her skin? – I don’t even know if she was being kind to those spies – what I can say after reading her story is that by her action of extending her house she was saved and thrust into new beginnings. Rahab (is said to have married one of the spies and ) had Boaz who married Ruth who had Obed who had Jesse who had David and the rest is history. Jesus came from David’s line. So imagine, her single act of extending her home caused her to move from low means to facilitating the introduction of Jesus to us. It does not matter where you are from or how society may look at you, one good and decent act can have such positive implication for you as well as many others. You just do not know what you are facilitating at any given time. God will use you no matter what.

JOHN THE BAPTIST– is a lesson to all of us and a lesson from God that we should not discount anyone. John the Baptist was not about perfection or imperfection. John the Baptist was just different, he was not into status quo, he was not into pretense and “prettying” up things, John the Baptist told the story like it was. He was not into the latest fashion or the need to live the high life, blessed or otherwise.  He knew his mission he knew the “main thing” and he stuck to the main thing. John the Baptist was used as a messenger to usher in the coming of Christ. Persons may have ridiculed him, others may have thought him mad and rejected him but nonetheless, God used him just as He was. God will use you too despite what others may perceive you to be, despite the box that others may try to use and contain you, despite the labels that others will affix to you. It is now up to you to see yourself despite the limitations that the enemy may want to stain you with. It is time for you to understand what the main thing is and stick to it like John did.

You are great and wonderfully constructed to carry out God’s plans for your life. All of the individuals mentioned above were people like you and I are. Not thinking that they were capable or of any worth, know that you are the person that God wants to use today. God loves imperfect people who understand that their abilities comes from Him. God wants to equip you and use you for HIS GLORY not yours. He wants to turn your life around and lead you into His perfect will, allowing you to become perfected through His Grace and His love. God cannot use you if you think you are in control – remember Nebuchadnezzar? God had to humble him before he could exalt him. Allow God’s will to be perfected in you today by accepting that as God’s child you are called to greatness, you are called to do glorious and marvelous things for His Kingdom and you are perfectly imperfect, made just for Him .

If you feel imperfect allow God’s love to reach you and carry you through. He is waiting on you.

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