October 19 - Every Man Ministries

Crooked Sticks

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ––2 Corinthians 12:9

God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick ––Martin Luther

Imagine if God had decreed: “Major mistakes made by My children disqualify them from the work I would otherwise choose to do through them.”

Thankfully, that’s clearly not how things work. All of us—sadly—can think of a Christian leader who has made a big impact on our walk with Christ but who was then caught up in some public controversy or scandal. Is that downplaying or excusing the bad behavior of our leaders? Absolutely not. But in the same vein, neither does their fallen state erase the ways that God might have used them previously to speak into your life or mine.

Martin Luther was certainly a crooked stick. He was prone to heavy drinking, coarse and violent language toward his detractors, and harsh criticisms for the Jews toward the end of his life.[1] At the same time, Luther is a giant in the Christian pantheon for striking the match that lit the fire of the Protestant Reformation. So which is it? Good guy or bad guy? Yes. (As in, yes, he was both. As are we all.)

It’s telling, then, that Luther coined the phrase, “God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick.” We are all bent, crooked, defective tools in God’s toolbox. And yet … when we submit to His will, and when we dust ourselves off when we fall and allow grace to get us back on track, Kingdom fruitfulness continues. We fall. We confess. And once again we submit to His leading and will.

Lustful David. Arrogant Joseph. Deceptive Abraham. Murderous Saul (Paul). Cowardly Peter. As you read those descriptions, do they upset or surprise you? That’s because we usually don’t focus on the crooked parts of those biblical characters’ personalities. What we remember is worshipful David, compassionate Joseph, courageous Abraham, wise Paul, and strong Peter (petra = the rock).

But here’s the major plot twist, man of God: The Lord can use your crooked stick-ness to draw straight lines for people to come to Jesus, if …

You humble yourself, admit when you’ve done wrong, seek forgiveness, and
Obey the Lord as He gets you back on track for the work He wants to continue to do in and through you.

Humility and obedience. Every single power player in the Bible possessed these qualities. And entire books have been written about how God uses flawed people—going all the way back to the Garden.

And to clarify, some of you have every right to be upset if you were hurt or abused by a Christian in a leadership role. If you’ve been a victim of some sort of abuse or wrongdoing at the hands of someone in church or Kingdom leadership, God grieves for you. And I’m so sorry that happened to you.

What I am saying is this: God continues to use crooked sticks to draw straight lines that point people to the Cross of Christ. And we are all crooked sticks—imperfect, broken, sometimes-clueless sheep. But in the hands of a loving, strategic God, He will continue to use us if we allow Him to.

Father, thank You that despite all my flaws and downfalls, You choose to use me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy toward me.