The Bible is full of losers. It is, in fact, one of the reasons given to confirm its authenticity. If you wanted to write a story about your heroes, it is likely that you would leave out their foibles and failures. No, no, just exhibit them as heroes! But we have Adam who fell at the first opportunity and Noah who got drunk and Abraham who lied about his wife and ... on and on it goes.
At some point the number of losers in the Bible starts to become an encouragement. I mean, if someone as shaky as Abraham can be God's chosen man, then things don't look as questionable for me. If King David, an admitted adulterer and murderer, can be called "a man after God's own heart", then there is hope for me. If Peter who promised to give his life for Christ and ended up denying even knowing Him can be one of the lead Apostles, maybe things could work out for me as well. If the author of most of the New Testament calls himself "chief among sinners", maybe God could have a use for me as well.
That's on a good day. There are other days that I begin to feel like a prime example. I begin to feel like people could look at me and say, "Well, if God could pull him out of the fire, I suppose there's hope for me." I suspect that's a more accurate self-evaluation. No, no, not better than Peter or David. No, a fortunate fellow given unmerited favor despite every possible reason not to be. If there's hope for me, there's hope for you.
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