The Unqualified, Young Applicant

“God did not call the qualified to serve Him: instead He qualified the called.” ~ Judy Baer

“Everything happens for a reason…In the past days as I prayed about work, the thought of God using the unqualified in the Bible came as an answer to my heart…”

I just texted those exact words to a puzzled co-worker. One of the many who was upset regarding the result of who was chosen for one of the supervisory positions recently opened for night shift. People knew…

The one picked was the “least qualified…”

This co-worker I texted had been encouraging the one who had the most seniority and the most experiences. This was including the years spent laboring to earn her Master’s and other certifications. But she wasn’t chosen…The one who was, everyone thought for sure…would be picked…

I was upset at the beginning of all of this, too. And as I knelt down and prayed about the old wounds being rubbed with salt in my heart, the answer above came to silence my growing protest of injustice or unfair treatments at work. That was a familiar battle ground I walked on from the past years. It hurt. 

Funny how God’s answers always come in a probing way. Silent. Short. But straight to the point. Most of the times, it isn’t even a statement. Rather, a question…

The chosen applicant just earned her RN. A per diem. Not even a regular employee. Seldom working in our facility. But…the interviewers who were the higher supervisors liked her… 

Many shook their heads in disbelief as the name of the new supervisor started spreading amongst us. Including me…I forgot…

God was known to use unqualified, young, and flawed people from different times. They succeeded…Not because they were great…But because God equipped them all. 

My heart is even sadder now. Not because the unqualified applicant was chosen to be our new supervisor. Though she is the youngest among the applicants…Though she is the least experienced among them…It's because I am not giving her a chance…To top it all, it grieves me that I am limiting God’s power. That I am underestimating His purposes…

I’m sorry Lord…

"Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, ²¹ equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." ~ Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV)