chosen

Usually, being chosen is a good thing. In school, I always wanted to be picked for a team at recess; I often wasn’t. In the Guard, being selected for promotion was a key goal, and civilian life is pretty similar. “Pick me!” is still something we say inside, even though we don’t shout it out anymore.

Paul was chosen to be the greatest missionary of all time. Much as I’ve often longed to be like Paul, this morning I’m not so sure. Look at God’s explanation to Ananias when he sent that faithful man to heal the persecutor Saul’s blindness, in Acts 9:13-16:

“‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.’

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’”

To be God’s chosen instrument is a huge privilege, to be sure. But Paul was picked for a hard job, evangelizing in the most difficult places. God separated him out knowing he would suffer.

Jesus said to rejoice when we face trials of many kinds because of him. Jesus also said that if we truly follow him, we will be persecuted. Paul followed zealously, and lived a lifetime of hardship and abuse.

Suffering in this world is one of the ways we follow our suffering Savior. It doesn’t help a disciple to be too in love with comfort.