I am the third child of four children. I had two older sisters and one younger brother. My oldest sister passed away in 2020. My mom married my dad in June after she had just turned 15 in March. In July, 16 months later she had her first child. Then the next October she had my sis just 13 months older than me. After I was born, 21 months later she had my younger brother. My mom had all four kids by the time she was 20 years old.

I was not the first born or the youngest. I was a middle child. Two older sisters to set the mark to follow, an example. Nor the youngest who could do no wrong. Just a middle child rocking through life. Not that any of this is relevant for your knowledge, but something I read in my quiet time from the Every Man’s Bible made me think of my placement in my family. See I am reading through the Every Man’s Bible for this year. I started the first of March. I started in Genesis, and the study notes and article are very informative and applicable.

I got through the creation account, Adam and Eve in the Garden, Noah and the flood, the Tower of Babel, the call of Abraham to be a great nation, the births of Isaac, Esau, and Jacob, and all of Jacob’s wives and children finishing with Joseph in Egypt.

Then came the article on Reuben, Jacob’s first born by his wife Leah. As the firstborn, Reuben was entitled to a double portion of the inheritance and a prestigious position in the family. Problem was that Reuben violated his father’s honor, he slept with Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel and Jacob’s wife. This cost Reuben his place in the family as the firstborn.

This article went on to discuss the firstborn children of Genesis. I had never thought about it but take a minute to think about these firstborns and their lives.

Cain was Adam and Eve’s first born. He murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy. Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Sarah’s handmaid Hagar, lost his number one position to his younger brother, Isaac. Sarah sent Hagar and Ishmael off into the wilderness. Twin brothers Esau and Jacob, when they were born Esau was the one delivered first. Esau, as firstborn, sells his birthright out of hunger for a bowl of soup! And now we see Reuben losing his family place and the blessings that go with it.

This was all very interesting to me. Here all these men were firstborn children and had some problems. Their leadership to the younger siblings was not exemplary or even one that you would want to duplicate. Yet God still used them. Cain went on as a marked man but had children. Ishmael received a promise of becoming a great nation. This came true as he was the father of the Arab nations today. Reuben went on to stand in the gap for his brother, Joseph, when his other brothers wanted to kill him. Instead they sold him (to the Ishmaelites). Esau became the father of the Edomites. God used them all!

It reminded me that God can use anybody! These men all had some flaws, yet God used them to accomplish His will or plan.

But this was just the firstborn. As I continue to read scripture I am reminded that God uses all kinds and ages of people. Joseph was not Jacob’s firstborn child, but he was his firstborn child to the wife he loved most. Then there is King David. He was at the bottom of the line when Samuel came to Jesse’s house to anoint a king. But David went on to slay a giant, become a king, and defeat his enemies the Philistines.

I always wondered what the family rank was of the 12 disciples of Jesus or where the apostle Paul fell in his family line. All we know of Timothy, Paul’s protégé, is that his dad was Greek and his mom was a Jew. Did he have siblings?

We know the writer of the books of James and Jude were Jesus’ halfbrothers. James even went on to be the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem. And…we have no record of them believing Jesus as the Messiah until after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection!

God can use anyone. And if He can use anyone with a variety of pasts…He can use me! Not only can He use me, He can use you as well.

Ready to Go to Work Bro. Tim