DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 9 – KINGDOM INCLUSIVENESS: GOD USES THE UNLIKELY

DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION
PART 9 – KINGDOM INCLUSIVENESS: GOD USES THE UNLIKELY

Matthew 9:9 (NIV)

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”

🔁 Recap From Part 8 – Why Jesus Chose Fishermen

In Part 8, we learned:

Fishermen were patient. They understood failure. They were hardworking. They functioned in teams. They were teachable. Jesus started with fishermen. But He did not stop there. Because the Kingdom is bigger than one profession.

After calling fishermen, Jesus walks past a tax booth. And He calls a tax collector. That was not just unusual. It was controversial. Tax collectors were viewed as:

Collaborators with Rome. Corrupt. Dishonest Socially rejected. Yet Jesus says to Matthew: “Follow me.” No debate. No delay. No explanation. Just invitation.

The Radical Nature Of The Call

Fishermen were men without titles but full of potential. Tax collectors were financially empowered — but morally questioned. Later, Jesus also calls Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15) — a man from a political movement opposed to Rome. Think about this. Matthew worked for Rome. Simon the Zealot opposed Rome. Yet they sat at the same table. Diverse hands. One mission.

Kingdom Principle: Unity Over Background

Jesus did not build His team based on:

Political alignment. Social class. Reputation Economic status. Public approval. He built it on obedience to His call. The unifying factor was not similarity. It was surrender.

Why This Matters Today

Many divide over:

Social differences. Financial status. Education level. Past mistakes. Cultural background. But the Kingdom gathers the unlikely. The Church was never meant to be uniform. It was meant to reflect redemption.

Transformation Is The Qualifier

Matthew the tax collector later became:

A Gospel writer. A witness to Jesus’ life. A foundation voice in the early Church. The same man once rejected socially became a carrier of Scripture. That tells us something profound:

Your past does not disqualify you. It becomes part of your testimony.

Kingdom Tension

Imagine the conversations between:

Peter the fisherman. Matthew the tax collector. Simon the Zealot. Different personalities. Different ideologies. Different experiences. But Jesus stood at the center. And when Jesus is central, diversity does not divide — it strengthens.

Leadership Insight

Strong leaders build teams with complementary differences. Weak leaders build teams that look exactly like them. The Kingdom thrives on redeemed diversity.

Practical Application

Ask yourself:

Do I unconsciously reject people with different backgrounds?

Am I building circles or building the Kingdom?

Can I celebrate transformation in others?

A Word To The “Unlikely”

If you feel:

Disqualified

Disconnected

Marked by past mistakes

Overlooked

Judged

Remember this:

Jesus walks past booths others avoid.

And He still says, “Follow me.”

Reflection Questions

Who in your life represents “unlikely”?

Are you resisting partnership because of difference?

Where has God used diversity to grow you?

Call To Action

Embrace the diversity of God’s calling.

Welcome those who are different. Celebrate redemption stories. Build unity around Christ — not comfort.

Prayer

Lord, Remove bias from my heart. Teach me to see people through redemption. Unite us beyond background. Let Your mission be greater than our differences. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next Part Preview

In Part 10, we examine another layer of diversity:

“Family Pairs & Strategic Partnerships.”

Because some were brothers. Some were opposites. Yet all were intentional.

God is speaking, are you listening?

Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson 

(EL-PJ God's penman)