By Grace Through Faith

During my working years, I was very much involved in the hiring of new employees or the selection of existing employees for promotion. With the exception of the hiring of brand new recruits, a hiring committee was always struck and met sometimes to set the criteria for the selection and always to interview and select the successful candidate. I was always a little surprised to observe the importance of the covering letter, resume and indeed the interview itself in the decision making of some committee members. Over the years, I had learned to trust one thing in the selection process. The service record of the properly qualified employee was all that really counted. That was easy enough to ascertain with present employees, but more difficult to obtain regarding outside applicants. I also learned over the years that glowing recommendations from outside were not always to be trusted just as negative recommendations could be less than reliable. There are too many human foibles involved in the offering of recommendations, more so in written letters rather than actual telephone or personal conversations.

I have witnessed candidates who have come in, taken over and managed for themselves, a very successful interview. Their service record may have indicated something else, but a good interview can sometimes be enough to bring success. In my more senior working years, I made my selection recommendation based upon service record, because in the end that would be the real indicator of future success. Some of the strongest candidates simply do not sit interviews well; as a result, known and proven service, in my opinion, is the most important factor.

Jesus tells us twice in the Book of Matthew that “…many are called but few chosen” (Matt.20:16). He says the same thing with slightly different wording in Matt: 22:14. I was wondering briefly this morning if service was His most important criteria in choosing. I very quickly came to the conclusion that service, cover letter, resume and indeed an interview are not the ways he chooses. The answer to my pondering is very clearly outlined in Ephesians 2:8-9.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Through His wonderful grace, He offers a free gift based only on our faith. Our belief in Him and His Father makes us one of the few chosen. Our service record is of no consequence. We don’t have to impress with our fervent protestations and impressive answers to His questions. He loves us for our faith.

Our faith is enough to get our promotion to an eternity in heaven with the Son of God at our side.

You may be asking how does one build faith if you do not have it, indeed if you simply do not feel it? I can only share my experience. I was searching in my middle years for some greater meaning to this life. I started to read the Bible as part of that search. I read it a few verses at a time for three full years. I was looking for the contradictions that I knew must be there. I didn’t find any contradictions, but I did find Jesus. At the end of the three years, my faith was there and very real. Faith can be found in the Word of God!

(Comments, corrections, suggestions or rebuttals are welcome. My email link is contained in “About me: view my complete profile” to the right of this page or use the comment section below which requires that you have a Google account.)