The People God Uses

Imagine David for just a moment, out watching his family’s sheep just like any other day. Then he gets a message: "David, they want you back at the house."

"Why?"

"I don’t know. There is some prophet in town, and you have to come right away."

David wasn’t dressed for the occasion. His brothers probably had taken a shower and put on their finest robes and were looking good. But David came bounding in from the field with youthful energy, probably smelling like a pasture.

When Samuel looked at him, God said, "This is the one; anoint him" (1 Samuel 16:12).

The next thing David knew, the old prophet was pouring oil on his head and saying, "This is the next king of Israel." People were probably standing around watching, thinking Samuel had finally gone senile. Are you kidding me? That is the next king of Israel?

But David was God’s choice, reminding us that God sees things differently than we do. God raises up His own men and women to blow the world’s mind and to confound everyone and say, "This is Me at work. This is Me changing lives."

It gives hope to people who are ordinary and are often overlooked. God looks on the heart.

One of the greatest evangelists who ever lived was Dwight Lyman Moody. Moody was a shoe salesman when God called him. A man named Edward Kimball had a leading of the Holy Spirit to go and talk to Moody about the Lord. He came to faith and then became a powerful evangelist who impacted the world. Moody went from selling soles to saving souls. He was just an ordinary guy—they didn’t come any more ordinary than him. But he was used by God in a powerful way.

God uses ordinary people.