Just In Case You Didn't Win

Scripture Verses that Caught my attention today: Acts 1:23-26 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Observation: What ever happened to Justus? I would imagine he remained very active, but he didn’t make it into the list of disciples. Yet we never hear from Matthias again either. Hmmm….

Application: It’s not always important to win. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t always give it our best shot, but winning really isn’t everything. Sometimes it’s okay not to get the job, not to make the team, not to get the call.

We don’t hear that kind of talk much in these days where people are labeled as winners or losers, success stories or failures. Yet it’s the truth. Not everything that is perceived as an “opportunity” is truly the best opportunity—or a necessary opportunity—for us.

In Scripture it does not appear that we ever hear from Justus again (the name is mentioned a couple other times, but seems to refer to someone else). Nor had we heard of him before. One might expect that fate from someone who didn’t make the final cut to be an official apostle. But Matthias isn’t heard from again either. What’s up with that?

No-one knows. My hunch is that Justus continued to be a faithful follower of Jesus just like the rest. Matthias may have made it to the inner circle, but that circle was designed to reach out. There’s a good chance that he was eventually martyred. It’s possible (though this is admittedly purely conjecture on my part) that Justus lived longer and witnessed longer because he wasn’t as much of a marked man as those who were counted among the apostles.

Whether or not that’s the case, the real take home point of this story may be that we can trust our “lot” in life to still hold plenty of opportunity of its own if we don’t spin our wheels lamenting about the opportunities that we think we may have missed.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the lives we have. Help us to make the most of them. But let us also simply embrace them for what they are…opportunities for faithful service in their own right. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Nehemiah 7-8 and Acts 1)