OCT 1 | If the Disciples Had LinkedIn Profiles: What Jesus' Hiring Process Teaches Us About Calling vs. Credentials
The Unimpressive Resume of World-Changers
Have you ever felt unqualified for what God is calling you to do? You're in good company. I was scrolling through LinkedIn recently, doing what we all do—comparing my professional journey to others—when a thought struck me: What would the disciples' LinkedIn profiles actually look like?
Picture it: Peter's professional summary reading "Experienced fisherman. Strong leadership skills. Occasionally impulsive. Denied knowing my CEO three times but we worked it out." Or Matthew listing his experience as "Tax Collector | Revenue Optimization Specialist" with a note showing "Blocked by 847 people."
Sounds ridiculous, right? But here's what's fascinating: these unimpressive resumes became the foundation of the largest spiritual movement in human history. And that contradiction reveals everything we need to understand about how God works in our lives today.
Jesus' Radical Recruitment Strategy: No Resume Required
The Fishermen Who Changed Everything
Let's start with the obvious: Jesus' hiring process would never pass modern HR standards. Matthew 4:18 describes the moment this way: "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen."
No interview process. No background check. No "Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership under pressure." Jesus simply saw them working and said, "Follow me."
Think about what Peter's actual qualifications looked like:
Professional Experience: Commercial fishing (family business)
Educational Background: Likely minimal formal education
Leadership Training: None documented
Theological Credentials: Zero
Notable Achievements: Good at catching fish
This wasn't someone with ministry experience. This wasn't a rabbi or a scholar or someone who had been preparing for religious leadership his entire life. This was a blue-collar worker doing manual labor in a small fishing village.
And yet Jesus looked at him and saw the rock upon which the entire church would be built.
The Tax Collector Nobody Wanted
If Peter's resume was unimpressive, Matthew's was actually toxic. Tax collectors in first-century Judea weren't just unpopular—they were traitors. They collaborated with the Roman occupation, overcharged their own people, and pocketed the difference.
Imagine Matthew's LinkedIn profile:
Current Position: Tax Collector for the Roman Empire
Skills: Financial extraction, collaboration with occupying forces, maximizing revenue from conquered populations
Recommendations: [This feature has been disabled for this user]
Groups: "People Rome Uses to Control Judea"
This wasn't someone with a questionable past trying to turn things around. This was someone actively engaged in what his community considered betrayal. Matthew's reputation wasn't just damaged—it was destroyed by his own choices.
And what does Jesus do? Matthew 9:9 tells us: "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."
No probationary period. No "Work on your reputation first, then we'll talk." Just immediate, unconditional calling.
When Credentials Become Garbage: Paul's Perspective Shift
Here's where the story gets even more interesting. While Jesus called uneducated fishermen and corrupt tax collectors, there was one disciple who actually had the perfect resume. The Apostle Paul (originally Saul of Tarsus) had credentials that would make any LinkedIn profile shine:
Saul of Tarsus - Before Conversion:
Education: Studied under Gamaliel (the Harvard of first-century Judaism)
Expertise: Hebrew scholar, expert in Old Testament law
Certifications: Pharisee, "faultless" in legalistic righteousness
Languages: Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic
Citizenship: Roman citizen (a huge advantage)
Endorsements: 500+ from top religious leaders
If anyone had the qualifications to lead a religious movement, it was Paul. His resume was impeccable. His network was extensive. His credentials were unquestionable.
So what does Paul say about all these impressive qualifications? In Philippians 3:4-8, he writes:
"If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee... But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."
The word Paul uses in Greek—translated politely as "loss" or "rubbish"—is actually skybala. It means dung. Garbage. The stuff you scrape off your sandal after walking through the street.
Let that sink in: The guy with the best credentials in the group said they were worthless compared to knowing Christ.
The Pattern That Changes Everything: Availability Over Ability
What Jesus Actually Looks For
When we examine Jesus' calling of the disciples, a clear pattern emerges. Jesus wasn't recruiting based on:
Educational background
Professional experience
Social status
Religious training
Public reputation
Personal perfection
Instead, Jesus was looking for something entirely different: availability.
Peter was available. When Jesus said "Follow me," he left his nets immediately.
Matthew was available. When Jesus called, he walked away from his tax collector's booth—and the significant income it provided.
The other disciples, mostly fishermen and ordinary workers, were all available when Jesus called them.
This principle—availability over ability—fundamentally challenges how we think about calling in the modern world.
The Modern Credential Trap
We live in a culture obsessed with qualifications. We build entire identities around:
Job titles ("I'm a director at...")
Educational achievements ("I have an MBA from...")
Professional certifications ("I'm a certified...")
Social media metrics ("I have X followers...")
Network connections ("I know people at...")
These aren't bad things in themselves. Education is valuable. Professional development matters. Building skills is important.
But here's where we get trapped: We start believing these credentials are what qualify us for God's calling. We think:
"I can't lead a Bible study—I haven't been to seminary."
"I can't share my faith—I don't know enough theology."
"I can't serve in ministry—look at my past."
"I can't start that nonprofit—I don't have the right connections."
We're waiting to become qualified, not realizing that Jesus has never worked that way.
Jesus Doesn't Call the Qualified—He Qualifies the Called
This statement has become almost cliché in Christian circles, but its truth is profound. Look at what happened to the disciples:
Peter's Transformation
Peter the impulsive fisherman became Peter the bold church leader. His leadership wasn't developed at leadership school. It was forged through:
Walking with Jesus daily
Watching how Jesus handled pressure
Failing spectacularly (denying Jesus three times)
Being restored and forgiven
Receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Peter's famous sermon in Acts 2, where 3,000 people came to faith, wasn't delivered by a trained orator. It was delivered by a fisherman who had been qualified through relationship with Christ.
Matthew's Transformation
Matthew the tax collector became Matthew the Gospel writer. His literary credentials? Virtually none. Tax collectors weren't known for their writing skills—they were known for their math skills and lack of scruples.
Yet Matthew wrote one of the four canonical Gospels, a sophisticated theological work that has shaped Christian understanding for 2,000 years. His qualification didn't come from his background—it came from his calling.
Paul's Redirection
Paul didn't need new credentials—he needed his existing credentials redirected. His intensity, his intelligence, his training, his passion—all remained. But Jesus redirected all of it toward building the kingdom rather than defending religious tradition.
The same traits that made Saul a fierce persecutor of Christians made Paul a fierce advocate for the Gospel. Jesus didn't erase who Paul was—He transformed what Paul was for.
What About Your LinkedIn Profile?
So let's bring this personal. What would your honest LinkedIn profile say? Not the curated, professional version where every job description is optimized for recruiters. I mean the real one that includes:
The career mistakes
The failed ventures
The times you chose comfort over calling
The moments you denied knowing Jesus because it was inconvenient
The seasons where you were more focused on building your brand than building the kingdom
Here's what I'm learning as I wrestle with this: Jesus doesn't swipe left on messy profiles.
Your Background Doesn't Disqualify You
Maybe you're reading this thinking:
"I didn't go to Bible college, so I can't teach."
"I've made too many mistakes to be used by God."
"My career is too secular to matter in the kingdom."
"I don't have the right connections or platform."
Can I challenge that thinking? You're exactly who Jesus is looking for—not because you're impressive, but because you're available.
Peter's impulsiveness? Jesus used it and shaped it into bold leadership.
Matthew's outsider status? Jesus redeemed it and used his perspective to write a Gospel that connected with marginalized people.
Paul's intensity and credentials? Jesus redirected them to become the theological foundation of the early church.
Your background, your mistakes, your unconventional path—Jesus can use all of it. The question isn't whether you're qualified. The question is whether you're available.
The Boat You Need to Leave Behind
For the original disciples, following Jesus meant leaving literal boats. They walked away from their fishing business, their source of income, their family expectations.
For us, the "boats" look different. Maybe it's:
The prestigious career path that provides security but steals your peace
The platform or following you've built that's become more important than obedience
The comfortable life that keeps you from taking risks for the kingdom
The impressive credentials you're holding onto that actually hold you back
The need for everyone's approval before you step out in faith
What boat is Jesus asking you to leave? What impressive credentials are you counting on instead of counting on Him?
Practical Application: Moving from Credentials to Calling
1. Audit Your Identity Sources
Make a list of where you derive your sense of worth and identity. How many come from:
Job titles and professional status
Educational achievements
Financial success
Social media metrics
What others think of you
Now ask: How many come from your identity in Christ?
2. Identify Your "Skybala"
Like Paul, what do you need to count as loss for the sake of Christ? What impressive elements of your resume might actually be distracting you from your calling?
This isn't about devaluing your accomplishments—it's about right-sizing them. Your MBA matters, but it doesn't define you. Your job title is fine, but it's not your primary identity.
3. Practice Availability
Start saying yes to small opportunities to serve, even when you feel unqualified:
Lead a prayer at your small group
Share your testimony with one person
Volunteer for that ministry you've been avoiding
Start the conversation you've been putting off
Availability often precedes ability. God qualifies those who make themselves available.
4. Embrace Your "Unimpressive" Story
Stop waiting for your story to be impressive enough to share. The disciples' stories were unimpressive by worldly standards—that was the point.
Your ordinary background, your failures, your unconventional path—these aren't disqualifications. They're often exactly what makes your story powerful.
The Kingdom Is Built on Yes, Not Résumés
The disciples' LinkedIn profiles would have been laughable. No credentials. No impressive backgrounds. No platforms. No influence. Just availability.
But their obituaries? World-changers. Kingdom-builders. Foundation stones of everything we believe as Christians today.
Here's the stunning reality: The kingdom of God isn't built on who's most qualified. It's built on who said yes.
Peter said yes and left his nets. Matthew said yes and left his booth. Paul said yes and counted his credentials as garbage.
And because they said yes—despite their unimpressive résumés, despite their lack of qualifications, despite their messy backgrounds—the world was changed forever.
Your Move
So here's my question for you: What's keeping you from saying yes?
Is it the belief that you need more credentials? More training? More experience? A better platform? A cleaner past?
Or could it be that Jesus is calling you right now, exactly as you are, with your unimpressive LinkedIn profile and all your supposed disqualifications?
Because if history teaches us anything, it's this: God has always done His best work through unlikely people who simply made themselves available.
Stop updating your résumé and start asking: "Jesus, what are you calling me to leave behind? What boat do I need to walk away from? What impressive credentials do I need to count as loss?"
The kingdom needs fewer impressive LinkedIn profiles and more available hearts willing to say yes.
Your credentials don't matter nearly as much as you think they do. Your availability matters far more than you realize.
The question isn't whether you're qualified. The question is whether you're willing.
What's your answer?
What's the "boat" you're struggling to leave? What credentials are you holding onto that might actually be holding you back? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I'd love to hear how this perspective challenges or encourages you in your own journey of faith.
An Invitation to go Deeper….
If today’s message spoke to you, join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge and strengthen your connection with God’s unshakable love. You are never alone—let’s grow together!
