Moses was a murderer. Elijah begged God to take his life. Peter denied Jesus. Paul hunted Christians. These are the people God chose. And that’s good news for people like us. If you’re like me, you’ve felt at times like you’re not good enough for God and that you’re not special enough to matter to Him. Some of the most influential people in the Bible felt that way too. They had every reason to see themselves as outcasts.
Would you believe me if I told you that God specializes in working with outcasts? What if I told you that God thought you are so special, that He has proven it in three powerful ways? It’s true. Let’s see what the Bible says about it.
Throughout history God has used people that others might label as “outcasts.” One of the most influential people in all of Scripture was Moses. God chose him to lead Israel out of slavery, to deliver His law, and to write the first five books of the Bible. But God didn’t choose Moses at the height of his greatness—He chose him after one of his darkest moments.
Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and he snapped. Exodus 2 tells us that he looked around to make sure no one was watching, then killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The next day, when word got out, Pharaoh wanted him dead. Moses ran for his life and became a fugitive in a foreign land (see Exodus 2:11–15).
Moses’ choices made him an outcast. But God wasn’t finished with him. In the wilderness, the same man who fled in fear would one day stand before Pharaoh in courage. The same man who tried to hide his sin would speak face to face with God, become the meekest person on earth, and become the mediator between God and an entire nation. Moses ran, but God used him anyway.
Another powerful example is Elijah. God worked incredible miracles through him. One of his boldest moments happened in 1 Kings 18, when, on Mount Carmel, he challenged 450 prophets of Baal. Fire fell from heaven, proving to everyone who the true God was. But that victory didn’t make Elijah popular. It made Jezebel, the queen of Israel, furious. She swore to have him killed.
So Elijah ran. He fled into the wilderness, exhausted and afraid. 1 Kings 19 tells us that under a broom tree, Elijah begged God to take his life. He felt alone. He felt finished. He was an outcast.
But God wasn’t finished with Elijah. He strengthened him. He spoke to him and sent him back with a purpose. Centuries later, Elijah would stand with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration, talking with Jesus about God’s plan to save the world. James would describe him as a man of prayer and great faith. Elijah wanted to give up, but God used him anyway.
In the New Testament we see right away that the apostles were ordinary men who held common, ordinary jobs. Some of them were fishermen, some were tax collectors (a profession that was disliked by nearly everyone), and Simon was a zealot (a political activist). Being devoted followers of Jesus, many of the Jewish leaders treated them as outcasts.
Peter, one of the apostles, and a close friend of Jesus, denied knowing Jesus hours after making this promise: “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35). Later that same night, Peter did deny knowing Jesus. In fact, he did it three times!
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:54-62
That moment had a profound impact on Peter. Arguably, he had made one of the greatest mistakes in his life, and he knew it hurt his relationship with Jesus. Peter’s denials had made him an outcast. But after Jesus was resurrected, He had a conversation with Peter, and Jesus told Peter to take care of His sheep, and He encouraged Peter to follow Him again (John 21:15–19). Peter would then go on to become one of the most influential leaders in the Lord’s church, helping to save thousands of souls. Even though Peter had denied knowing Jesus, God used him anyway.
And then there’s Saul of Tarsus—better known to most as Paul. If I were choosing someone to be a key leader in the early church, Saul would’ve been the last person on my list. He rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah. He threw all of his energy at trying to destroy the church and persecute Christians, even approving of their deaths.
But everything changed when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Saul was blinded, humbled, and transformed. He became a follower of Christ, but that decision didn’t make his life easier. The Jews who once supported him turned against him, and many Christians didn’t trust him, unsure if his conversion was real. Saul was caught between two worlds—an outcast to both. But not with God. God didn’t just forgive Saul; He made him an apostle. The enemy of the church became one of its greatest missionaries. And to this day, we use his words to encourage others:
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:26–27
Paul persecuted the church, but God used him anyway.
Paul and the other apostles would not be many people’s choices as God’s chosen ambassadors to plant and strengthen His church, because, by the world’s standards, they did not appear to be “special.” But:
The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
Moses ran. God used him anyway.
Elijah wanted to give up. God used him anyway.
Peter denied Jesus. God used him anyway.
Paul persecuted the church. God used him anyway.
What made all these people special is that they were willing to work with and for God to fulfill His purposes, and it was God who did amazing things through them. What does that have to do with you and me today? Everything. You too can help fulfill God’s plans if you are willing to work with and for Him.
I mentioned earlier that God proved how special you are in three powerful ways.
First, God created you in His image.
God created everything that exists, including people. But, according to Genesis 1, the only part of His creation that He created in His image was people. No animals, no plants, not even the angels were made in God’s image. But you are. That makes you special to God.
Second, you were uniquely created by God.
A lot of people think that after God created Adam and Eve, all other people have just been the result of natural, biological processes. However, the Bible says that God plays a big part in who we are.
Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him…
Zechariah 12:1
God formed your spirit within you. He intentionally created you. You’re special to Him.
Third, God thinks you are so special that He died for you.
Jesus, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), lived and died to make salvation possible for everyone, including you.
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
God’s love is so amazing that Jesus died for us, not because we’re so good and wonderful, but because we’re sinners.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3–4
You are so special to God that He thought you were worth dying for, because He wants to save you from your sins. If you’d like to learn more about that, please reach out to us.
God specializes in working with people that others might overlook. He would love to work with you, and He proved that by doing three amazing things for you. I hope you realize how special you are to God, and I pray that you will decide to dedicate your life to serving Him.