Boyce Mouton

Boyce Mouton

CREDENTIALS

Every parent knows the value of credentials. We have had doors slammed in our faces

because we hadn’t have the right papers. We have seen others pass us by because they had

credentials that we didn’t have. This is one reason why most parents encourage their children to

get a good education. Even the prestige of the college you attend may make a difference when

you are looking for a job.

In this regard it is important to remember that the credentials that we value so highly, mean

absolutely nothing to God. God is not impressed by our human achievements. In fact, our earthly

credentials may actually be a spiritual liability. God has consistently chosen to do mighty things

through common people. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He has deliberately

chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to

confound the things which are mighty. God does not want any flesh to glory in His presence (1

Cor. 1:27-29).

PETER AND PAUL

Consider, for example, the credentials of Peter and Paul. They were at opposite ends of

the educational pendulum. In the Jewish community, Paul had impeccable credentials. He was

born of the tribe of Benjamin, and circumcised the eighth day. He was trained at the feet of

Gamaliel and taught according to the strictest tradition of Hebrew Law. He wrote to the Galatians

that he advanced in the Jewish community beyond those of his own age. He was at the “top of his

class”. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.

Peter, by contrast, had no credentials in the Jewish community. As far as we know he had

no formal education. He was a common man. He was merely a fisherman. He was from Galilee,

and consequently would be held in contempt by the sophisticated Jew. Remember the amazement

of Pentecost when they heard Galileans speak in other languages. Such uneducated people

obviously would not be expected to be fluent in other languages. Peter’s Galilean heritage was

difficult to hide. His thick Galilean accent, for example, was evident. The night before Calvary he

tried in vain to hide his heritage. Cursing and swearing he sought vehemently to deny where he

was from, but his speech betrayed him. Everyone who heard him speak could tell he was from

Galilee.

Because Paul had credentials accepted by the Jews, that’s where we would send him.

Credentials are so important to us that we would consider Paul the ideal candidate to evangelize

the Jewish community.

Because Peter was a common man with no credentials, we would send him to the gentiles.

We would endeavor to minimize his lack of credentials by placing him among other people with a

similar background.

God, however, doesn’t think the way we think! His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

His ways are higher than our ways. Our Omniscient God did things the opposite of the way we

would do them. He sent Paul to the gentiles, and Peter to the Jews (See Gal. 1:8, Acts 26:17, etc.)

Paul even considered his Jewish credentials as garbage. They were, in some respect, a liability.

He wrote that the things which he counted as gain to himself, were a loss for Christ (Phil. 3:7).

MOSES

Moses is another example of a man whose credentials got in the way. He apparently

thought he could deliver his Hebrew brethren by the power of his own wit and wisdom. He was the

son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He had political power. He had credentials accepted throughout all of

Egypt. Stephen said that he “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in

words and deeds” (Acts 7:23).

At the very height of his power, Moses risked it all to save his people. He killed an

Egyptian, because he supposed that his brethren would understand that God by his hand would

deliver them, but they understood not (Acts 7:25). Moses failed! He became a fugitive and lived

in the land of Midian for forty years. During this time he was a shepherd.

Because Jesus described Himself as the “Good Shepherd,” we think very positively about

shepherds. It was not so in Bible times. The Scriptures teach that every shepherd was an

abomination to the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). No occupation could have been more humbling to

Moses, or offensive to the Pharaoh. We would never assume that a shepherd could have any

positive influence on an Egyptian leader. Perhaps this why God chose to do it that way.

Moses had other obstacles to overcome. When he lived in Egypt, he was “mighty in words

and deeds”. When he left, however, he was a considered a criminal. Further, after forty years in

Midian he was no longer fluent in the Egyptian language. His earthly credentials were reduced to

nothing.

Someone said: “The main thing is to see that the main thing is the main thing”. At the risk

of sounding blasphemous, the “main thing” in the universe is God. Nothing must ever detract from

His glory. When Moses was well educated and powerful, God was not the center of his focus. He

gained the victory, however, when his earthly credentials were gone and he had nothing to depend

on but God.

God gave him the victory, and Moses knew it. Notice the focus of his victory song: “I will

sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown in the

sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is my salvation: he is my god, and I will prepare

him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Ex. 15:1, 2).

Moses discovered that anything that detracts from God must be avoided. Not even an altar

to the Lord was to be made of “hewn” stone (Ex. 20:25). Any tool used on the altar would pollute

it. Moses realized that anything “we” did, we would admire. Human achievement invariably

detracts from our focus on God.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

It is exciting to realize that God can do great things through anyone who will let Him. David,

for example, was such an unlikely candidate to be king that his family left him in the field to tend

the sheep. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). In

spite of his many faults, God made David into a mighty king. God can also use you, regardless of

your earthly short comings.

The Church of Jesus Christ is like a gigantic body with many members. Most members of

His Body are common folks. Not many wise, and not many mighty, and not many noble are called

(1 Cor. 1:26). There are, however, some mighty, wise, and noble Christians. As you know, some

of the most influential people on earth are followers of Jesus Christ. It is important to remember

that regardless of your earthly circumstances, God can still use you if your heart is right.

Please prayerfully consider the following advice regarding earthly credentials.

First, we should recognize that greatness in the Kingdom of heaven is different from earthly

greatness. Jesus said that the greatest were those who became like a little child (Matt. 18:1-4).

David’s mighty men gained status by their earthly accomplishments, but Christians advance by

humility.

Secondly, the church must guard against giving preferential treatment to those with earthly

credentials. We will be judged by the way we have treated the “least” of Christ”s brethren (Matt.

25:31-46). We must not defer to the person with gold rings and goodly apparel (Ja. 2:1-4). Human

credentials are not a mark of spiritual growth and development.

Finally, we must always give God the glory for those things which He has accomplished

through us. Herod was a great orator, but he did not give glory to God. This is precisely why he

died (Acts 11:21-23).

Paul said it beautifully: “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence

or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know

nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in

weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with

wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your

faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. (1 Cor 2:1-5 NIV)