Unlikely Heros

Yesterday, my wife brought home a movie that she thought I'd get a kick out of, Napoleon Dynamite. I have to say, this movie brought back memories of my own time in high school. I appears to take place in the same era, the early to mid 90's. I gathered that from the hair and clothing styles. Also, I got a good laugh out of the cheesy saying of the geeky main character, Napoleon, because I remember people talking like that. Plus, you have to dig his moon boots!

The movie is about a few people that are the "invisble" types in school, those that the "cool kids" love to hate and pick on, coming together to do something that defies everyone's expectations. In this case, with the help of his shy friend Deb, they get his new friend Pedro elected as class president (Hence, the "Vote for Pedro" T-shirts seen from time to time).

Upon reflection this morning, the theme that emerges out of this movie is that the peole that seem the least likely to make a splash end up making the biggest splash. I think that God works in a similar way. He takes takes those that the world would consider foolish and weak, and uses them to put the world's perceived wisdom and strength to shame. That's why a young teenaged shepherd boy named David became a giant killer, and eventually a king. That's why a man called Gideon who thought that he was the weakest guy in his family really became a mighty warrior. That's how poor, everyday fisherman became apostles of Christ and mighty preachers of the Gospel. God takes the weak, and through Jesus Christ, makes them strong. Even the Jewish leaders that questioned Peter and John that day had to admit that there was something radically different about these men. Where they saw fear in them after Jesus was taken and killed, now they saw boldness.

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

Listen friends. There is a giant killer waiting in the wings of your weakness. You may feel that you are just watching sheep, but God is preparing you for greater things. Go with his flow. He is using everything you encounter in life to mold you into the person he's created you to be-for his glory. Remember Romans 8:28- "All things work together for good to those that love God, to the called according to his purpose." And look at the honor role of people that God used:

Jacob- an lying con man turned prince of God
Joseph- hated by his brothers, enslaved, imprisoned, exalted to leadership
Moses- from a prince to a shepherd to the deliverer of his people
Gideon- the least in his family, which was the weakest of the tribe of Manasseh, yet a mighty man of valor
David- shepherd boy, youngest son, yet a lion, bear, and giant killer, and a king

This list could go on and on and on!

God is in the business of making unlikely heros!

Guess what? That includes you!

God bless!