That Elite Group At The Very Top

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Peter 1:2

The tap on the shoulder, an invitation given grudgingly. "You are invited," the member says, "to that elite group at the very top of your profession, that thin air on the mountain's peak that few achieve. It is a very great honor, one that no one in her or his right mind would ever refuse." The world has several of these exclusive clubs typically marked by a few who get to vote on allowing new members to join. "Only the best of the best," they say, "are allowed in with us!" Then, a strange man came among us, choosing not the best of the best, but the worst of the worst.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children.” Matthew 11:19

A friend of sinners, eh? Good, because when He chose me that is the description that fit me like a custom glove tailored to my hand with careful measurements taken with the utmost attention to detail. Jesus invited me to join His group, and from what I could see His group at the time of their invitation could hardly be called the elite of anything. Excellent! I fit right in with y'all! It is almost like Jesus went out to chose the worst in order to make us the best. How? And why do we not look like the best to our crooked and worldly eyes... oh, maybe that is the reason.

Yes, this world has many elite groups and standards that we did not meet. You and I may not be judged by the world to be the best of the rest at a profession, education, hobby, physical beauty, athletic prowess, or couch potato endurance and channel surfing, but for some reason He chose us. The one requirement for membership in His group we had to meet was His law, and not one of us could do it, so He set out to bring us into His group by Himself. Talk about an elite group, no one met His standard! Yet, all who believe in our Lord Jesus are brought into this special group who are given eternal life. Wow, that is some prize for a bunch of initiates who are undeserving and unworthy! How does He do it? Better question: Why does He do it?

It must be love that gives us His grace. It seems strange to us, but the one requirement we can meet in Christ is to be loved by Him, and He loves us everlastingly!

Happy Old Year!
Bucky