Guest post article
My name is Vance Patalinghug and I’m with Heroes The Bible Trivia Game. I noticed our websites are very closely related so I wanted to contact you in regards to establishing a content partnership and if you can maybe review our app.
We’ve launched a new mobile Bible gaming app where people can choose Bible characters and answer questions. The more questions they answer the more perks they get including superpowers of sorts.
Assuming you’re interested, I would contribute a unique piece of content exclusively for your website. I am confident I could produce an article that your audience would find interesting and engaging.
Beauty. Talent. Wealth. Position.
It is easy to measure success with these standards. And why not? What more could be the most identifiable standard of perfection than these physical and quantifiable attributes?
However, some imperfect people can be good role models.
Abraham
We all know that Abraham is a nobleman who loves God and obeys God in everything. He is the father of faith, after all.
However, Abraham was old when he got Isaac. Also, his eagerness to have a son made him think that it was justifiable to sleep with Sarah’s slave so he could have a child through her.
Jacob
As we know it, Jacob’s biography was not as impressive compared to that of Isaac and Abraham.
Jacob was involved in cases of fraud. First was when he tricked his brother into selling his birthright. The second was when he tricked his father into giving him the blessing that was supposedly for the firstborn.
Presumably, this proves that Jacob has more spiritual inclination than Esau. However, his knowledge of the spiritual significance of the birthright is applausive. Thankfully, the Lord personally handed him the blessing he deserved (Genesis 32: 22-32).
Moses
Would you believe that one of the first great leaders of Israel had a speech impediment? When Moses went to Pharaoh, His excuse was “but I am slow to speech.”
Imagine Moses running for US politics. Given his speech impediment, he would have gotten a lot of mocking. We all want an eloquent president, don’t we?
And yet? God is not interested in how man sees. Instead, He is interested in the unseen secret, the heart.
Rahab
Rahab is one of the famous prostitutes in the Bible aside from Gomer and Mary Magdalene. She was a Canaanite woman who had quite a reputation because of her profession.
She was a pagan, but she knew that the God of the Israelites is the true God. She willingly helped the spies of Israel by hiding them in her house. As a result, she and her family escaped from the destruction of Jericho.
Not only that, she even became part of the lineage of Christ!
Gideon
Speaking of imperfect, another man we can think of is Gideon.
Gideon was heroic and brave, being able to manage only 300 men to battle. However, he was also a man who was initially afraid.
Gideon came from the weakest clan in Manasseh. He was the least in the family (Judges 6:15). However, by God’s might, he was able to pull off one of the most iconic and “it-didn’t-make-sense” battles in the Bible’s history.
David
David, “the man after God’s own heart,” is not exempted from imperfections. This notorious lover king was an adulterer and a murderer. He did not only covet another man’s wife, but he also killed that man.
But David loved God, and He loved him.
In his life, we can find hope and assurance. If God could forgive such a grave sin, he could also dismiss the big and petty sins of sinners like you and me.
Zaccheaus
Now, Zaccheus is one of the Bible characters who happened to have a fair share of flaws.
One, the nature of his job was one that many people would despise. Particularly, it had the reputation of cheating.
Another absurd imperfection is his lack of height. However, he desired to see Jesus so much that he didn’t see this as a hindrance. Instead, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him.
Jesus found him and dined with him. It resulted in the conversion of another sinful man.
John
John was referred to in the Bible as the “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17). He was aggressive and insensitive.
James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven because the Samarians were not responsive to Jesus’ message (Luke 9:54). They even demanded a right to sit on the left and right thrones of God in heaven (Mark 10:35,37).
Yet, the Lord transformed John. He became the apostle of love who received the message of Revelation. He was also the only disciple who died at an old age.
Peter
Peter was a man of passion. There is no doubt that he loves the Lord. Yet, he was also a coward.
There were instances in the Bible that he proved this claim to be valid. One was when he was walking towards Jesus in the water. The second was when he feared to be associated with Jesus. He denied Him three times.
Despite these, the Lord was so merciful to him. He loved him and had a plan for him. He knew Peter would do great things for the furtherance of His work.
Paul
Paul was a notorious hunter of the Jews. It’s ironic how this once persecutor of the Christians came to be a member of Christ’s fold. Well, surprise!
Paul’s conversion has to be grand, probably because the Lord also had a special commission for him to do. It happened in his pursuit to kill the Christians in Damascus. And on the road, he had a vision of God.
Yes, Paul wasn’t a perfect man. He did not begin right, but thankfully, he ended right!
What We Can Learn From These
These stories only remind us that the Lord loves us not “because of” but “despite.” Isn’t that heartwarming? Isn’t that sweet?
We could relate to these Biblical characters. Like them, we are also invalid in one aspect or another. The good news is, the Lord doesn’t see us through our imperfections. He sees us through our potentials for salvation.(https://www.chrisaomministries.com/2017/02/do-you-want-to-go-to-heaven)
Are you willing to love God “despite” anything? If your answer is no, think again. Go back to the life lessons of these Biblical characters.
