The Leader God Uses

Throughout Scripture, God rarely chooses the obvious candidate. He passed over Jesse's older sons and anointed David, the youngest, still smelling of the sheep field. He called Moses, a shepherd with a stammer, to confront the most powerful ruler of his day. He built His church on Peter, a fisherman who had denied Him three times. The pattern is clear: God does not look for the most impressive person; He looks for the available heart.

What, then, marks the leader God uses?

First, a leader God uses is called before commissioned. Their authority does not come from a position but from a Person. They serve because they were sent, and that sense of being sent keeps them steady when applause fades and opposition rises.

Second, they lead by serving. Jesus overturned every worldly notion of greatness when He knelt to wash His disciples' feet. In the Kingdom, the towel outranks the throne. The leader who carries the burdens of the people earns a loyalty that no title can buy.

Third, they guard their character. Gifting may open a door, but only character keeps a leader in the room. David shepherded Israel "with integrity of heart and skillful hands" (Psalm 78:72) — both were needed. A leader who is the same in secret as in public builds the trust on which everything else stands.

Fourth, they think beyond themselves. Paul told Timothy to entrust the message to faithful people who could teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). A leader who only builds a following builds dependence; a leader who builds other leaders builds a legacy.

Finally, the leader God uses stays close to God. Vision is born in His presence before it is announced in public. Strength for the hard days is drawn from time spent with Him, not from natural talent alone.

You may not feel qualified. Neither did Moses, David, or Peter. But God has never been limited by our weakness — only by our unwillingness. If your heart is available, God can use your life. The question is not whether you are impressive enough. The question is whether you are willing.

— Franckel Revalcy, Voice of Hope Global Ministries