WHO ME?

I Samuel 9:21 “…my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe. Why are you talking like this to me?”

As a teenager, I really enjoyed team sports. I played baseball, basketball, kickball, flag football, even a little volleyball. In the summer, my friends and I would meet in the park for “pick-up” games. Those are the games where teams are chosen once everyone arrives. I never gave it much thought because I was, not great, but good enough to be chosen early on by the team captain. But even at a young age, I had sensitivity for the guys that were picked last. These were normally the guys that perhaps were not athletically gifted. Maybe they were a little clumsy. Don’t get me wrong, they were our friends. But we were competitive and were not about to choose someone that might hurt our chances of winning (well, until there was no one else to pick.)

I still remember a time that I decided to do something really nice for a guy that was normally one of the last guys chosen. The game of the day was flag football. I was a team captain. I selected first and choose one of our best players. Then the next best player was selected. It would be the same as every other day. Then I said, “I’ll take Shawn.” Everyone was shocked at first – especially Shawn. Now, it is worth noting that Shawn had never demonstrated the ability to catch, throw, or run. Soon, some of the other guys began to snicker a bit. Shawn said, “Who me?” Then he smiled and sprinted over to my side. It should also be noted that, even to my surprise, Shawn caught the winning touchdown that Saturday afternoon in Central Ohio.

There were two things about Shawn that really stuck with me. First, even though he was almost always picked last, he showed up every Saturday. I’m sure it would have been easy for him to get fed up with the jokes from the other guys. He could have easily said, “I obviously can’t do this so why bother?” But, he never quit playing. Second, even Shawn was surprised that I selected him. It was apparent to me that even though he was determined, he had little self confidence. That changed that day.

Our scripture gives us an example of a man who was picked by God, even though he was an unlikely choice (even to himself). God ordained Saul to be the first king of Israel and Samuel was instructed to go to Saul. Their encounter was memorable. As Samuel begins to speak over Saul, he says to him, “you are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” What a huge statement. Note Saul’s response. He, in essence, says “I am a nobody. Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?” But you see, God had chosen Saul. He was not chosen because of his pedigree, his status, or his might. He was chosen because God looks beyond the things that man would focus upon.

It can be so easy for us to look in the mirror and see what the world sees. It can be so easy to just accept someone else’s perception of us. But God has reserved a great plan for you and me. He does not care how much we have or what we have done. He doesn’t even care how many touchdown passes we’ve caught in the park. God looks way beyond our inabilities to see the gifts that he has placed within us. Don’t stop being faithful to the plan of God for your life. Like Shawn, just keep showing up. Live everyday as if it is the day that your name will be called. God is preparing you for that moment. Be ready.