A good excuse to neglect his calling

The bible records the people God uses as coming from different backgrounds. Remember Gideon for example. Can you recall the kind of background he came from? (Judges 6:11-15). Speaking of himself Gideon said 'My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family. '

With Jeremiah things were very different. Jeremiah was the son of a priest (Jer. 1:1). Priest had reliable, stable and well paid jobs in those days. They belonged to the upper echelon of the society. Hence Jeremiah came from a very noble and highly respected background. Jeremiah would have almost certainly continued in the same career as his father if not for the intervention of God (Jer. 1:4-10).

Your background, whether privileged or not, should not be seen as a hindrance or advantage to the call of God on your life. Obedience is the vital ingredient God looks for in the people he uses - not our pedigree. God uses all sorts. The often quoted saying that God always uses the least in society is not true. He can also use the noble. The Lord looks at the heart.

Considering the climate within which Jeremiah lived, it is no surprise that he resisted the call to be a prophet. Indeed, Jeremiah, called to the ministry at a young age, thought he had the perfect excuse to avoid the call of God (Jer. 1:4-10).

Have you ever talked yourself out of doing what is right by emphasising your weaknesses or your perceived inability? Or maybe you have come from such a privileged background that you think you cannot endure the hardship you imagine your task will involve. Well, Jeremiah's excuse was his youth. He thought he was too young for God's call (Jer. 1:6). Needless to say God did not buy it.

What excuses do you hide behind in order to avoid doing the things you should do?

The first truths we can glean from this initial look at the life and ministry of Jeremiah is that - our environment should not be used as an obstacle to our doing what is right.

Do you live in an environment where there is corruption all around you? Or maybe your dilemma is a band of Christians who say 'proper things' with their mouths but their lifestyle portrays their real intentions. We should not allow these external influences to shape our destiny.

If Jeremiah had refused to obey the Lord he would have been as guilty as those who were worshipping idols.

Remember this the next time you stubbornly refuse to heed to God's prompting in your heart.