Election night, I heard a commentator make a statement that I found very interesting. He said, “Hillary Clinton is the most qualified candidate who has ever run for president of the United States.” Whether or not the statement is true, and I highly doubt that it is, he missed the entire point. Let's assume, that from the standpoint of qualifying characteristics, that he was correct, and she is the most “qualified” person ever. Nevertheless, she has by her misbehavior, disqualified herself from the right to hold the position, for which she is most qualified. Think about that. Being qualified does not always give someone the right, to be in the position. Let me give you a personal illustration.
After my father died, several people said to me, you are by far the most qualified man to be the pastor of, First Baptist Church. Now, contrary to the total lies perpetuated by an assistant pastor at FBC, I never for one second considered, that I had the right, nor did I apply for that position. I knew I had disqualified myself. That does not mean I am disqualified from other things, but merely from that position. I may be most qualified for the position, while still being disqualified for it.
Sometimes, a qualified person disqualifies themselves from an opportunity, but that does not mean they are disqualified from all opportunities. Being qualified to be president of United States, does not mean the person has the right to be in the position, especially if they have disqualified themselves. The same is true with a pastor. A man may disqualify himself from the pastorate, while still being qualified in most ways to be a pastor. The mistake is, assuming that he is disqualified from every position. Perhaps, he is disqualified from pastoring, but still qualified to preach. Or perhaps, he is disqualified for a particular position, but is still qualified for a particular work. I have spent many years, accepting that I am disqualified from pastoring, while seeking to use my qualifications in other areas.
I want to have a productive life. I refuse to waste my qualifications, by focusing on my disqualifications. Is this making sense? There are many Christians who are disqualified from something, and thus allowed themselves to remain disqualified from many other opportunities. God wants to use all of us. Let me give you several thoughts regarding this.
1. Just because you have been disqualified from one opportunity, do not assume you are disqualified from all other opportunities.
2. Do not be bitter over disqualifications. Be excited over opportunities, to use your qualifications elsewhere.
3. Do not waste perfectly good qualifications, just because you are now disqualified from something.
4. Do not get bitter at less qualified people, who have not disqualified themselves, thus are in the position you are more qualified for, but from which you disqualified yourself. Don’t judge them, by their inferior qualifications either. It’s not their fault you disqualified yourself.
5. Be careful not to disqualify someone, from every opportunity to serve God, merely because they have disqualified themselves from one opportunity.
6. When dealing with people who have been disqualified, be more interested in finding what they can do, than in finding ways to disqualify them further. A true restorer, seeks to re-qualify the disqualified.
7. If I was qualified before, then I am qualified now, which means I can do something, even if I can't do that which I was once qualified to do.
Far too many people who have been disqualified from one thing, have wasted their qualifications by doing nothing. I have one life to live and I plan to find ways to use my qualifications as much as I can. Yes I was disqualified, from doing something that I was qualified to do. Now, I take those same qualifications, and use them elsewhere, while seeing what God can do to a qualified one, who disqualified himself.