“I was talking with a neighbor the other day,” Stan commented one morning, “and he had an interesting story to tell me about how it seems God is using Him.”
“Like a personal testimony?” I asked. “Those are always so good to hear.”
“Yeah,” Stan replied. “A personal testimony can go a long ways in helping someone else see that they can be used by God if they are open to what He wants to do.”
“What’d your neighbor have to say?” I asked.
“How he went from being someone he considered to be least likely to being something else,” Stan replied.
“From least likely to something else? In what way?”
“As my neighbor told the story,” Stan replied, “in his mind he was the least likely person to ever be used by God for anything. He wasn’t a believer and he had no interest being one. He just didn’t see Christianity as something he needed or wanted in his life.”
“Did something change?”
“Sure did,” Stan replied. “We all know that only God can change a person’s heart, and that’s what happened with my neighbor. Through people God brought into his life, he had a number of encounters with God that not only brought him to faith, but also transformed his life into being a person who’s looking for other least likely people.”
“Other least likely people?”
“Yeah,” Stan replied. “He said that he’s discovered that it’s often the least likely person who can have the greatest transformation to be used by and for God and His kingdom.”
“So we should all be looking for the least likely?” I asked.
“Not only the least likely,” Stan replied, “but all who have not yet come to faith so they can be transformed from where they are to where God wants them to be for His purposes! Let’s look for the least likely, the unlikely, and the most likely. Everyone!”
“That sounds a lot like what Jesus said about going and making disciples,”I commented.
“It sure does, doesn’t it?” Stan replied with a smile.
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Bible verses to consider:
Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; unite my heart to fear Thy name. I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Thy name forever. For Thy lovingkindness toward me is great, and Thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. Psalm 86:11-13.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36:26-27.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, . . . . Matthew 28:19.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus so that all who believe can have life eternally with you when it’s time. Thank you that “all” is everyone, including the least likely. I confess that too often I do not seek to reach certain people with the truth of the gospel because I think they will not accept the truth. Please forgive the foolishness of thinking I know who will and who will not respond. You will draw to you those you want, from the least likely to the most likely. Help me in following every step of your lead in presenting the truth to everyone and leaving the results in your very capable hands. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you changed from being someone who was least likely to be a Christian into one who is pursuing discipleship? If so, how did that come about? Have you thanked those people who may have had a part in that? As a Christian, are there certain people or groups of people you do not seek to reach with the truth of the gospel because you think they are unreachable? If so, why is that? Is that what God has for you to think? If you sense the need for change in how you view and approach the “least likely,” how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 