In my last post I was a little critical of the Guardians of
the Galaxy, calling them thieves, murders, and generally self-centered—and
rightfully so. These heroes don’t wear halos. Peter Quill—who insists on being
called Star Lord—is portrayed as a self-aggrandizing womanizer. Rocket Raccon
is an amoral bounty hunter out to make a quick buck. Gamora is willing to lie,
steal and cheat to escape her tyrant father, Thanos. Drax is driven only by his
thirst for revenge. The verbally-impaired Groot is likely the most valiant of
the bunch. In a pivotal moment in the movie, Star Lord assesses his team,
saying, "When I look around, you know what I see? Losers.” Yet, strange as
it may seem, it is this very quality that makes the Guardians so refreshing and
appealing. They have flaws of biblical proportion, but so do we. Your past and
mine is filled with faults, fumbles, and failures. But here’s the good news—God
loves the losers, the long-shots, and the little guys.
The Bible is full of losers. Story after story is marked by
scandal, stumble, and scheming. Noah drank 'til he passed out. Abraham lied
about his marriage and slept with the maid. Sarah laughed at God’s promises.
Jacob was a con-man. Leah was ugly. Moses was a murderer. Miriam was a gossip. David
failed as a father. Jeremiah wrestled with depression. Martha worried. Peter
denied. Thomas doubted. The list goes on and on. Each one of them had flaws of biblical
proportion. Yet, just as the Guardians managed to save the entire galaxy, God
used these imperfect people to accomplish his incredible will.
Max Lucado writes, "If God chose only righteous people
to change the world, you could count them all on one finger—Jesus! Instead he
included others in his plan—sinners, the ungodly, the imperfect. God used and
uses people to change the world. People! Crooks, creeps, lovers, and liars—he
uses them all!”
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