I think Jesus called many disciples, not just the twelve.  Others just followed because they knew something was different about this man.  But out of all this mix, Jesus prayed throughout the night and then picked the Twelve.

My sports team right now has made it way into the end season.  Something no one really expected.  This was a “rebuilding” year.  There really are not any superheroes on the team.  None with big titles before they were recruited.  None with outstanding performances every given night.  All that is gone.  And because of that is why they keep on winning games.  This coming from the coach himself.

We all know that the disciples weren’t necessarily a together group:

Matthew–a greedy sell-out to the imposition
James and John–sons of Thunder, arrogant, judgmental, critical, etc…
Judas–greedy (didn’t want to give to the poor so he could pocket it), disloyal
Peter–impulsive, jealous

You know the story.  Nobody in their right mind would “recruit” these guys for a winning team.  The coaching they would need would take years.  Why not pick a good orator, a charismatic leader, one who had good social skills, etc… Your all-star team you want with some skill.  These guys were raw.   Too raw.  Too risky to train.  But Jesus saw them.

I relate.  I think we all do.  We all have felt passed over at times.  I remember one time during a 12 week ministry school we had multiple visiting speakers who would pray over students one by one going down the line of chairs of students.  Time after time they would come to me, stopped, looked at me, did not pray, and then proceeded with the next person.  No bother.  I was used to this.   But my roommate was not.  It started to make her angry.  She took this to the throne room of God because she did not understand.  And you know what, the last week and the very last visiting speaker, I was… not prayed for again.  BUT, God gave me a miracle that week.  Everyone saw it.  And it was better than 12 weeks of not being prayed for.  I had the special privilege of experiencing this:  God does not pass us over.  We may be the weak things that shame the wise, but GOD DOES NOT PASS US OVER.  This is his glory.  Simplicity is His disguise.

Just think of all that we miss when people get passed over.  I wonder how many passed by this kid?