Christian, are you available?

I knew a man who told a story of having lived in the same town as a youth, from the fourth grade through part of his junior year. He moved midway through his 11th grade year with his parents, over one hundred miles from his previous town, and finished high school in his new location.

Well over a decade later, at this man's place of employment, he met another employee there and through casual conversation, he found out that she, too, had attended his first high school, only she arrived there shortly after he had left. They would both have been in the same grade and she graduated from that school.

She brought in a yearbook from her senior year to show this man, and as he flipped through the pages and saw all the familiar faces of fellow students he had known from the fourth grade. He was amazed to see the athletes on the high school football team of what would have been his senior year. Most of these team members he could have run circles around, but in this yearbook they were pictured as prominent athletes.

Upon reflection, he thought, it's only right; no doubt those athletes had improved and deserved a spot on their team. But, this man knew he had been unavailable to be on that team, because of his move. The team from his previous high school was only made up of those who could make themselves available. And although some of them may not have been the best athletes, they filled vital spots on the team.

God wants us, as Christians, to make ourselves available. We, in the natural, may not seem to have the best abilities and may look around and see others we think might be better suited, but God looks at our heart. Make yourself available and trust God to use you to complete His team. As God's team members, we each have our special giftings and God desires that we make them available as members of the body of Christ.

God's standard is met, because we are in Christ (in His Son) and He qualifies us. God has instilled  giftings and desires in us to be vital team members in the church body in which He places us.

1 Cor. 1:26 NIV - "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth."

Col. 1:12 NIV - "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

2 Tim. 4:5 NIV - "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."