Jesus Saves, But He Uses People

Since moving to this new area, I’ve gotten used to seeing a certain man every morning standing right in the middle of the street. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. One day, curiosity got the best of me, and I stopped to ask.

Turns out, he was selling cakes.

I laughed and teased, “Now, you know you’re trying to make me fat!”

He chuckled but said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“I’m just trying to teach my son about entrepreneurship.”

I looked over and saw a young boy watching quietly nearby. My heart melted. That moment stuck with me — not because of the cakes, but because of the purpose behind what he was doing.

Fast forward a few days later, I passed by again. This time, he was selling newspapers. I smiled and asked playfully, “Is this free?”

He said, “For a donation — anything, even ten cents.” Then he pointed again and said, “There’s my son.”

Sure enough, his son crossed the street, learning, watching, helping. I was so moved, I donated without hesitation. That’s when he looked at me and said,

“Jesus saves, but He uses people.”

That one line hit me like a sermon in the middle of the sidewalk.

He never got an attitude. He never begged. He never tried to prove his worth. His peace and purpose spoke for him. And without realizing it, he turned a skeptic into a supporter. He increased his value just by being — calm, confident, and led by something higher.

And that phrase — Jesus saves, but He uses people — has been echoing in my mind ever since.

Because he’s right. Sometimes, as believers, we forget that part. We’re waiting for God to come down and fix it all.

But history shows throughout Scripture, God used people to bring His plans to life:

He used Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt. In Exodus 3:9–10 (NIV), God said “And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you (talking to Moses), to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.

He used Deborah to lead a nation with strength and grace. Deborah was a prophetess and judge of Israel — the only woman in the Bible recorded as holding that position.

During a time when Israel was oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan and his army commander Sisera, Deborah command a man named Barak to gather an army and go into battle against Sisera. Barak hesitated and said he would only go if Deborah went with him.

She agreed, but told him that the victory would be credited to a woman — a prophecy that later came true when Jael, another woman, defeated Sisera. Deborah’s leadership not only brough victory but showed that God can use a woman — to guide and deliver His people.

He used David, a shepherd boy, to defeat Goliath.

He used Esther to deliver a nation through her courage. And He even used Rahab, a woman with a past, to protect His promise.

Each one of them did extraordinary things because of their obedience to God.

That man in the street reminded me of something so simple yet so profound: sometimes the “help” you’re praying for is standing right in front of you, wrapped in flesh.