[460 words]
Have you ever wondered why things happen the way they do? Have you ever wondered why some strange and/or unusual events have taken place in your life, or why it seems nothing much out of the ordinary has ever happened to you? How did you end up living where you live? How did you end up working where you work? Why did you develop the skills you have? If you have ever wondered things like these, I have an answer for you: I don’t know! But God does know, and he may be preparing you for some future calling.
As a young shepherd I’m sure David’s mind often wondered about such things. From what we know of him from the Psalms we know he had an active mind and often wondered why things happened the way they did. Why did he have to stay with the sheep when three of his bothers went off to fight the Philistines? Why did he have to protect his sheep by killing both a lion and a bear? Why did he learn to play a harp or use a sling?
Well, we know why. We have the advantage of looking back at how God used those skills. We know God used his shepherding skills to lead Israel. We know God used his musical skills to connect David with King Saul. We know God used the killing of the bear and lion to prepare David’s courage and faith to face Goliath. And we know God gave David the skill with a sling to defeat Goliath. Yes, we can see clearly how God used the earlier events in David’s life to prepare him for his future calling. But do you think that when David was developing those skills that he knew God had something special in mind for him?
Do you think that when Amos was taking care of fig trees and sheep that he knew God would call him to prophesy against Israel? Do you think that Moses knew when fleeing Egypt that it would prepare him to lead Israel out of Egypt?
Who knows what God has in mind for our future service to him? He may use the skills we are developing now, or he may enable us with totally different skills when the time comes. But one thing is for sure, if we are faithfully using the skills and opportunities God is giving us now, we will be prepared for the special calling God may have in mind for us later on. And it doesn’t matter if those skills are simple (two-talent man) or extensive (five-talent man), it’s the use of what God gives us that pleases Him (see Matthew 25:14-30). Allow God to work through you!
Joe Chesser
Fruit land church of Christ
via Jacks (MO) church of Christ