Ready or not!

You’ve probably heard someone say this before: “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” A truthful quote, and it certainly seems to apply to a lot of Biblical stories of calling. God oftentimes calls the blatantly unqualified—just think of Simon Peter (and others).

When Jesus first called Simon Peter, his gut reaction was to pull away: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” Not exactly the “Here I am, send me” an apostle would say. And yet, Jesus didn’t flinch. He called him anyway.

Throughout Simon Peter’s time with Jesus, he kept proving how not ready he was. One moment he confesses Jesus as the Messiah; the next, he’s rebuking Him. During a holy moment on a mountain, Simon Peter blurts out a plan to build tents, missing the point completely. And yet… Jesus keeps him close. Keeps shaping him. Even through betrayal.

So, Simon Peter wasn’t ready in the way we usually think of readiness. He was impulsive, flawed, and deeply human. Simon Peter’s story echoes so many others: Moses stuttered, Jeremiah protested, Esther trembled, to name but a few.

But, like these important Biblical people, Simon Peter was ready in one way: he kept showing up. That might be all Jesus needs from us too. So, are you ready? Probably not. Join the club. But you can be available. You can show up. Brené Brown, well-known advocate of vulnerability, says: “The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.”

So, are you ready—to show up?

P.S. Are you enjoying this journey with Simon Peter? Your own character might even resemble his. Care to find out? Take our The Chosen 'Test of Character' and journey for a while with the character you have the most in common with.