And the Lord answered, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage. – 1 Samuel 10:22, Amplified Bible

When it came time for him to be declared king in Israel, Saul marked the occasion with a less than impressive performance: he hid himself in the baggage. Intimidated by the weight of the position he had just been granted by God, Saul ran away to relieve the pressure. But the Lord did not give up so easily, for it was God Himself who told Samuel where to find the reluctant king.

Before being too critical of Saul, we need to remember that Saul is in good company when it comes to reluctant service. Moses wasn’t particularly swift at agreeing to his role as Israel’s deliverer. Gideon paused quite a bit before accepting his role as judge. And Christians all around the globe stare at God with the proverbial “deer in the headlights” look when He informs them of the missions for which He has chosen them.

Oftentimes we ask God the same thing that Moses asked in Exodus 3:11, that Gideon asked in Judges 6:15, and that Saul asked in 1 Samuel 9:21, “Who am I that You should choose me?” At first glance, such a question seems to paint us in a humble light. However, it is not humility that underlies such a question. It is arrogant presumption. The real meaning of, “Who am I that You should choose me?” is, “You’ve made a mistake, Lord. There’s got to be someone better than me.” In effect, we’ve just told God that we know how to fulfill His plan better than He does, and we know better than He does who ought to be on His staff.

Are there others that are better than us for the job? Surely! But God chose us – not them – because His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). When God does wonders through the weak, people are drawn to Him because they know it was God, not man, that accomplished the wonders. When wonders are accomplished through the strong, people worship the strength of man rather than the strength of God. They worship the creature more than the Creator, which, of course, is sin.

If not now, then soon, God will choose you for a work. It may be a small work or a large one, but it doesn’t matter. If you find yourself hiding in the baggage and asking, “Who am I?” STOP! Realize you are being given a wonderful opportunity to be used of God for His glory. Obey without objection, and enjoy the privilege of seeing people drawn to Him through your obedience.