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DAY 11 | DAY 12
Disciples Wanted — No Experience Necessary! (Philippians 3:4-14)
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
During a stint of underemployment, I volunteered at CareerLink as “Dr. Résumé, the Résumé Doctor.” I wore a bright yellow tie dotted with pills and capsules and was the go-to guy for help with résumés. I made sure the clients’ résumés reflected and emphasized their desirable work traits and experiences, in order to attract and impress employers. This was ironic because I was out of work for 3 years but this didn’t seem to bother anyone. My qualifications impressed a few employers who wanted to hire me but weren’t quite sure where to put me. I could impress but not secure a future.
How this differs from the way God “hires” worshipers! Most people think they can impress God with their own merits — and the churchy ones get the gold stars.
Paul warned the Philippians against ritualists who sought to impress God and men and could lead the saints astray (vv. 2, 3). In the Jewish world, Paul had every qualification of a true worshiper of God (v. 4): physical proof, pedigree, and Phariseeism (v. 5), persecution of “false” worshipers, and perfection (v. 6). He out-religioned the religionists, yet discovered that God was not impressed with his résumé (v. 7). “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:18).
Man made moral merits do not measure up to God’s metrics; only Christ’s qualities and qualifications can get us past the heavenly Human Resources Manager by faith. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
With any job, the work doesn’t cease when one is hired. Becoming a disciple does not mean you sit back, fold your hands behind your head, put your feet on the desk, and watch the clock. True discipleship requires personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, the power of a resurrected life, the possibility of persecution, and the positive resurrection from the dead. One of the joys of being hired is that the labor of the job search is over, and we can forget the résumés and interviews and self-promotion, and get to work. The work is no longer the means of being accepted — it is the fulfilling of the purpose of the job. Listen to Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden [seeking acceptance], and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Every employer expects the employee to grow in their
knowledge of their field and meet the goals of the company — in other words, mature in the job.
Despite Paul’s credentials, he did not instantly reach spiritual maturity. Paul reminded us earlier in this letter, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). May we cease struggling to please God in our flesh and let God work out his righteousness in us.
– Alan Allegra
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