The least qualified person to lead

Have you seen the Lego Movie? The Lego world is falling apart but the prophecy has come true and the promised ‘special’ has arrived to restore things to the way that they should be. Emmet (the person in the centre of the picture) has been told he is ‘the special’ but he struggles to believe it. As he stands before the master builders he is honest with them about how he is feeling.

Yes, it’s true. I may not be a master builder. I may not have a lot of experience fighting or leading or coming up with plans. Or having ideas in general. In fact I’m not all that smart. And I’m not what you’d call the creative type. Plus, generally unskilled. Also scared and cowardly. I know what your thinking: He is the least qualified person in the world to lead us. And you are right.

Have you ever felt like this? Do you feel like the least qualified? Do you feel inadequate?

I wonder how many of the 12 disciples who Jesus chose felt this way? Jesus didn’t choose the elite or the well-educated, he chose ordinary people who most likely felt unqualified. The starting point of the Christian faith is the acknowledgement that we need God, that we are not adequate for everything that we will face in life.

Emmet struggles to be ‘the special’ until he reaches the point where he realizes that he is special. He grows and moves forward in life and I believe that this is what God wants for us. As we allow God to lead us through life we too will grow in confidence as we learn new things and as God restores our damaged lives.

Are we willing to confess that we cannot do everything?

Are we willing to admit we need God?

You may have read ‘footprints in the sand’ but have you seen this version? We may say we follow Jesus but I wonder how often he has to drag carry us because we go wandering off without him after deciding that we can cope without his guidance and help?

I am not all-powerful, I don’t know everything, I don’t always know what to do and because of these things and for many other reasons I need God in my life. I don’t feel qualified or adequate to do God’s work, but with his help, strength and guidance we can achieve great things together.

I thank God for the person I am becoming. I thank God for the way I am growing and for the things I can achieve and cope with now that I couldn’t have done even a few years ago.

I may not be qualified to change the world but God is with me and while I rely on him it means that I can be a part of his work to bring about change in this world.