A savant, according to my limited understanding, is a person who is extremely proficient at a particular craft, yet unable to learn even the most basic concepts of nearly every other trade. Many people are, as it is said, a jack of all trades, yet master of none. And other people my friends, to put it quite bluntly, are as dumb as rocks.
“Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22)
It does not matter what category you fall under, and there are many more than this, what matters is whether or not you are willing to be used where you are today for the glory of the Living God.
Notice that I did not say if you are able.
God told Moses that He would speak for him, He told Jeremiah to say everything exactly as he was told by the Lord.
“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6)
Willingness is akin to obedience, they are for all intents symbiotic, yet obedience can be performed without the willingness of our hearts. The Lord chooses to use those who are willing to be used for His glory, even the unrepentant man can adhere to much of the Word of God with no desire to serve Him in love whatsoever. In fact my friends, you cannot die to self unless you are willing to.
I have witnessed over the years how He uses what traits, what capabilities we already possess, in fact, possessed before we were hid in Christ, for His glory, but few remain, if any, where we were in that regard when we first met Him. Paul called himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews but found that nearly all of his life before the Lord met him on the road to Damascus had been wasted.
I often wonder when Peter said, “I go a fishing.” (John 21:3a) if that was the last time he ever did.
We cannot grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and remain where we were when He called us to Himself, but He many times uses our character traits, if you will, that we had before that moment as a foundation of how He is going to use us in the future.
I have almost always been a straight-forward man, I mean what I say, or I would not say it, and if it is the truth and you do not like it, too bad. If you have been reading these letters for any length of time, you will see those character traits in them. But if I did not, and if I do not, continue to willingly submit my will to His will, you would never read those letters at times which are without a doubt encouraging, pleading with you to serve Him in love, to speak of Him often, to contemplate His words everyday at length.
We can all be taught, but are you willing to be taught?
Old habits, whether in deed, words or thoughts, will be replaced within you, and you must not mourn over those losses, in fact, rejoice in those days. Old dogs can learn new tricks my friends, I am proof of that. If you are willing, He will teach you.
“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
All of these words here today mean nothing more than allowing the Holy Spirit to assist you in the transforming of your mind, to be made into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Steps that I fear few are willing to take.
“The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Practice may not make you perfect my friends, but it will, if you are willing, make you more like Christ. And after all, that is what we desire, is it not?
