Brilliance Not Required!

(Reposting this tidbit from my Jan/06 archives)

"What we have lacked in money and brilliance, we have tried to make up in service." These are the words of Laura Ingalls Wilder's grandparents and once again I have found hope in a simple statement. I am so glad that we cannot find anywhere in scripture where the Lord requires us to be brilliant so as to be used by Him. If that were the case all hope would be lost in my case. There is nothing that I have ever read in the Bible to even remotely allude to the fact that smart people are more successful than the academically challenged, in a spiritual sense. But I guess it's all in our definition of success. According to the worlds standards I will never be successful. I, a stay-at-home homeschooling mom that graduated from high school with poor grades and only 1 year of Bible college after that. In the way of brain power I do not have much to recommend myself. All of my teachers will attest to that fact. Yet good grades don't come into play in the scriptures in measuring success. I see things like "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." and "A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised". It's a blessing to be able to read scripture and understand and be able to apply it to my life even though I couldn't make out heads or tails in English classes in school. The Holy Spirit reveals things that are supernaturally understood and I count it a tremendous privilege that the Lord chooses to work in and through people as lowly as me as well as those who have a great mind for earthly knowledge. I want my children to excel in their school work and reach far beyond my humble capabilities but... they're true success when all is said and done will be judged by God not by the local school board. God will want to see a young man or woman who is completely surrendered to Him and serving Him with their whole heart. I want to be the kind of parent that gives them a thirst for knowledge but also a tremendous thirst for service to their God. That's a tall order and a much harder one than just teaching them to read and say their times tables, but it will count for eternity. So what I lack in brilliance (& money) I will seek to make up for in service. It's worth more in the long run anyway. :)