MOSES WAS A BASKET CASE

Religious men may step diplomatically around us, not know where we fit,

find it hard to handle us, but our heavenly Dad loves us just as we are.

You know what rhetoric is, don't you? The dictionary says; 'it is the art of using language so as to persuade others', but, 'it is inflated or insincere in style.' That's what rhetoric is, and our world is full of it. It's the politicians' stock in trade; they say what they think the people want to hear. Seldom are their statements designed to impart information, they are loosely worded so that at a later date they can say, I didn't mean that. You've taken what I said out of context.'

Business people use rhetoric, and pressure groups, negotiators and churchmen too; clever use of language for effect. Did I say churchmen? Perish the thought! Well I think they sometimes do.

For example, you'll often hear it preached, 'God uses the foolish things of this world to confuse the wise.' Yet on the occasion that I don't like to talk about too often - when I seriously considered entering the ministry - I was told I needed to have a 'non-theological degree' before they would even talk to me.

Now it so happens I have my non-theological degree, so I asked the appropriate gentleman why that should be. I mean, I don't intend to teach English or Science or Criminology, so why should I need a degree in one of those subjects? And the answer? 'To be an effective leader in the Lord's house you must be at least on a par, socially, with those in your care.' Whao! Is that not just a tad hypocritical?

I mean, if that is the case, why on earth did God tell Paul, 'My grace is sufficient. My strength is made perfect in your weakness'? - for 'weakness', read 'inadequacy'.

Yet, what do you think would be the reaction of the governing body of any major denomination if a convicted murderer, or an adulterer, or one so promiscuous that at times he couldn't remember who he slept with last night, were to apply to become a minister of the 'word and sacrament'?

You don't need my prompting, do you? And yet all through the ages, God's choice of leaders flew in the face of reason, confounding our fine upstanding churchmen. He did it his way, and that was, to say the least, a little risky.

For example, Moses murdered an Egyptian in cold blood and yet he became perhaps the greatest leader the Israelis ever had, including Golda Mier and David Ben-Gurion. Without doubt, David was their greatest ever king, but let's not sully our minds by reciting his misdemeanours. Then there was Samson who behaved as though sleeping around was an Olympic sport. Paul invented ethnic cleansing in the first century, and Peter . ah Peter, the one disciple to whom most of us can relate if we're honest. A wild and unpredictable loose cannon, impetuous, always shooting his mouth off, a man who would have blown any Kirk Session or church committee sky high - but what a man! It all hung out with Peter, didn't it?

So, where's all this leading? Simply this; do you ever feel dirty, soiled, inadequate? Do you ever look around at the others in the pews to your left and right and think, 'How could God love me? Why would he want to use me when he's got all these guys?' Then think on this. God could have chosen Moses' brother Aaron, but he didn't. He could have gone for Esau, but instead he opted for Jacob the schemer. He could have picked gentle, stable, predictable John to feed his lambs, but he didn't. Peter was his man for the job, the guy who cursed and swore and lied and denied he ever knew him not three days earlier.

Now, why God chose whom he chose is an interesting topic for debate, but it matters not here, except to say that they appear to have at least one thing in common. There was a degree of reality about them. They were quick to put their hands up and say, 'Sorry Dad. I got it wrong again.'

The thing I need to be reminded about regularly, maybe you too, is that whilst religious men may step diplomatically around us, not know where we fit, find it hard to handle us, our heavenly Dad loves us just as we are. He sees what we will become, and in love he sweeps us up in his great arms today, warts and all. Now, doesn't that make you feel good?