“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also has made us able ministers of the New Testament …” – 2 Corinthians 3:5-6

Shortly after graduating with an Upper Second Honours degree from Makerere University, I worked for a few years and acquired wide-ranging skills in my profession.

Then I felt like well, I had what it takes to apply for a job in Europe. Why not?

After exchanging e-mails with the human resource person at a big company in a European city, I finally received the final response.

I was advised that whereas I had the competence to do the job, I could not get a position at that company because they could not hire foreigners.

If one is not a national, one could only be employed as a ‘casual’ laborer – doing menial unskilled work that the nationals don’t want to do.

I believe every one of us has faced a situation whereby you were not considered because you were deemed to be ‘unqualified.’

You were probably dumped by a person you were dating under the excuse that you were not a ‘good fit.’

You were probably told that you didn’t ‘tick all the right boxes,’ never mind that a person who seemingly ‘ticked even fewer boxes’ than you was considered instead.

On the other hand, you find one was rejected as unfit in one organisation being given an even bigger position in a more prestigious organisation.

Well, that’s the way it is!

I don’t care who told you otherwise – it could even have been your own parents when you were young – I want to assure you that you’re able, sufficient, competent, adequate, qualified, worthy, and fit when you’re in the hands of the Almighty God!

In our meditation today, the apostle Paul embarks on a fervent defence of his credentials against Jewish detractors in Greece who saw him as unqualified, inadequate and incompetent to do what he was doing.

Indeed in other versions, the term “able ministers” is translated as ‘sufficient,’ ‘competent,’ ‘adequate,’ ‘worthy,’ and ‘fit.’

The apostle insists that our being fit does not come from ourselves – our achievements; our trying; our experience; our ‘technical know-who’; our titles, however; “but our competence comes from God” (see verse 5).

I don’t care who told you otherwise – it could even have been your own parents when you were young – I want to assure you that you’re able, sufficient, competent, adequate, qualified, worthy, and fit when you’re in the hands of the Almighty God! Hallelujah!

As the popular Ugandan musician sang, “You have ability.”

Of course we live in a high-pressure world where the number of ‘right boxes’ to be ticked keeps on increasing, some imposed with ulterior motives of course.

But hidden in Christ, God declares you competent and qualified!

Does that mean we should not study or acquire more skills? No, of course.

Continually acquiring knowledge should be everyone’s life-long endeavor but much learning does not make you better than another and more so in matters of the Spirit.

So even if no one believes in you, from today keep on assuring yourself that you’re a sufficient, competent, adequate, worthy, and fit vessel in the hands of Jehovah God.

No one has the power to declare anyone unqualified to be a partaker of God’s Providence.

Christ is He who gives us the credentials that make us qualified and sufficient.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you because you knew me before I was born and made me perfect and fit for purpose. Help me to celebrate me and everyone else for the glory of Your Name, Amen!