AFTER ALL THESE CREDENTIALS, WHAT ELSE?
(Part 1)
" One of the young men said, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who plays skilfully, a valiant man, a man of war, prudent in speech and eloquent, an attractive person; and the Lord is with him"
- (1 Samuel 16:18 Amp)
Growing up in the southern Volta of Ghana, I moved with a group of friends who were all of the Ewe tribe.
We respected one another and blended so well that the only thing that portrayed I was not an Ewe was my name probably. I spoke [I still do] Ewe so well.
There was a time our group metamorphosed into an advocacy group. We wanted to get some help for our community. This required meeting with some royals of the land.
I was the automatic spokesman of the group but disqualified because I was not an Ewe.
The group agreed I wrote the speech I would have delivered so one of us apart from me would speak to the elders. So I did. Unfortunately, we saw that none of my friends could deliver the speech with the passion we required extempore.
Our hopes of making a point was gradually being dashed. I had all the criteria required to make the speech except one - my name. Once it was mentioned, it would raise doubts to my locus in the case.
One warm afternoon after school, the group met and out of the blue, one friend suggested I used the name Korkuvi Goka. The 'GOKA' surname was from the initials of my real name: George Osei Kwaku Asiedu.
This is how I was able to face the royals on behalf of the children in the community and present our case.
Many a time, people have been disqualified from a role because they had lacked the most important credential. In my case, it was my name to prove a heritage.
The King of Israel was being tormented by an evil spirit and the remedy was music. They needed a skillful player of the harp.
I know for sure there were musicians in the palace and normally they are of the best stock. However, on this particular instance, none was qualified within.
The lot fell on a young man who even did not have a name. His first credential was that he was an Israelite, son of a Bethlehemite called Jesse.
This credential was important because it proved he was not alien. In our context today, we will say he was saved. Are you? God requires people to use in His palace, His kingdom business, but you must be born into this kingdom. It is not enough to be in a church. That is like a foreign resident. Acquire citizenship. David, son of Jesse was a citizen; a native of Israel. Don't just be in a church. Be a Christian.
The second credential was that he was a skillful player. Are you? God requires 'players' not spectators in His palace. As a Christian, what role are you playing positively and skillfully in your home, community, church, nation and the world at large? Remember he did not wait to prove his skills only when he was brought to the palace, he did so in his own small way but he was spotted. Get to work skilfully, you shall definitely be spotted.
So what have you been called to do? Don't waste yourself. Get to play skilfully. Soon, you shall be in a higher calling.
Again, it was said that he was a brave and great warrior. I had asked myself what has being a brave warrior got to do with playing the harp? In Israel, every male child of age was automatically enlisted into the army. It was the king who led the army and all males who were able men in the palace went with him. So the servant who was recommending David was simply saying, "we can also derive another benefit from him".
Christians today apart from whatever roles we play must be great 'warriors'. We fight a spiritual battle and our battlefield is in the arena of prayer. Every Christian worth his name must be a prayer warrior. One that is brave and stays in the field until the war is ended.
Fourthly, he knew how to speak well. Really? What about that? He was going to be in the palace. It was the face of the nation. All who have enquiries within and without come to the palace. A rough and arrogant speaker would ruin the course of the kingdom. Are you a good speaker? Do you preach the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Are you a defendant of the faith? Living in the palace [being saved] requires you speak to promote the kingdom and do it well. May the Lord let grace abound so that no moment is spared in spreading the gospel.
The servant who had spotted this young lad also said he was attractive (handsome). Well, we need a musician for Christ's sake not a model! Yes a musician but he must be a comely person. Christians today must ensure we are attractive in the sense of appearing neat and well dressed. We cannot be in the Lord's business and just be unkempt. Let's present an attractive image to the world to prove what the Lord has done since He saved us.
It must reflect in our secular life and work output. Your work must be attractive and of excellence.
Let me caution here that modesty and decency is attractive and extravagance is a caricature.
A profound statement was made after all have been said about this "boy without name". The recommender said "...and the Lord is with him". What a credential!
In our world today, many people play their assigned roles well be it in church or secular world, they pray long hours, have powerful words and inspirational sermons, they are attractive and have good persona but lack the greatest credential - the company and presence of God.
Jesus says on the last day, some who are purported to have been working for the Lord will be told: "...I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:23). Scripture says such people would say "but Lord we worked in your name".
It is not enough to work in the name of Jesus. We must work with Jesus. He must be in our company and us in His presence. He must truly approve of us. This is the greatest credential we must all seek. It is that which makes the difference. It brings people without names to royalty.
Indeed, David was unknown and unsung because he was in the wilderness shepherding. At a time when his elder brothers were home with papa, he, the youngest was far off from home but the Lord was with him.
Sometimes people complain a lot of where they are and make it sound like the Lord has done them in, but if you trust that He is with you, no matter where you are, a spotlight shall find you.
Interestingly, David seemed to have been disregarded by his own family because if Samuel hadn't asked, no mention would have been made of him.
A careful reading of 1 Samuel 16:11 and 12 makes me presume the Prophet thought if the grown ups are at home and the young one is tending the sheep then probably he might have just been behind the family house. So he insists on not sitting down until the boy is brought. However, I presume the distance of how far David had gone from reality made the aging Samuel to abandon his edict and sat down. So the Lord had to call him to 'stand' and anoint the boy.
History later revealed that the battles that made David have the credentials of a warrior were with beasts in the wild as he told Saul when he required of experience (1 Samuel 17:33-35).
When the Lord is with you, He magnifies your successes and projects you.
When the Lord is with you, He prepares you in your own small way to take up a higher mantle. You may see it as being in the bush with the sheep but right in the palace your credentials are being discussed. That is if after all the skills and endowments you are not alone.
Whatever credentials you have may matter but after all that something else is required.
You need the Lord to be with you.
If you are saved, I pray you enjoy the company and presence of Jesus after all you have.
If you have not yet met Jesus Christ and His saving love and grace, you might be playing a major role in this universe but all said and done what else?
We all need Jesus to be with us.
I submit to that credential above all credentials.
Will you?
May the Lord be with us all.
Amen!
NB: This article was written by:
GEORGE OSEI-ASIEDU (Rev)
THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST
DAMBAI-LAKESIDE DISTRICT
Fon: 024330
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