If there is anything we have in common with the people God used as reported in the pages of the Bible, it was that they were ordinary, fallible people like you and me. Kind of knocks out all of our excuses when you look at them altogether.

Have you ever wondered if God would ever use you?  I have.  My thoughts turn quickly to the many reasons why God shouldn’t have called me in the first place. But then God says in a laughing sort of manner, “Don’t worry. You’re in good company.”

Moses stuttered
David’s armor didn’t fit
John Mark went home
Timothy had ulcers
Hosea’s wife was a prostitute
Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning
Jacob was a liar and a sneak
David had an affair
Samuel’s sons were undisciplined
Solomon was too rich
Abraham was too old
David was too young
Peter was afraid of death
Lazarus was dead
John was self-righteous
Naomi was a widow
Paul was a murderer
So was Moses
Jonah ran from God
Miriam was a gossip
Gideon and Thomas both doubted
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal
Elijah was burned out
Job kept defending himself
Solomon was a womanizer
So was Samson
John the Baptist was a loudmouth
Martha was a worry-wart
Mary was lazy
Peter denied Christ
Noah got drunk
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter, Paul–well, lots of them did – as do I.

First you wonder why God picked these people. After you get familiar with all their stories, you finally come to it that these were the only people He had to work with. Nothing’s changed. People are still the same, and so is God.

The issue was never their righteousness; it was their availability.