Why We Were Chosen
~Author Unknown
God in His wisdom selected this group of men and women to be the purveyors of His goodness. In selecting them through whom to bring about this
phenomenon He went not to the proud, the mighty, the famous or the brilliant. He went instead to the humble, to the sick, to the
unfortunate. He went right to the
drunkard, the so-called weakling of the world. Well might he have said to us, "Unto your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted a power beyond all estimate. To you has been given that which has been denied the most learned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests or ministers have I given this gift which I
entrust to you.
"It must be used unselfishly; it carries with it grave
responsibility. No day can be too long; no demands upon your time can be too urgent; no case be too pitiful; no task too hard; no effort too great. It must be used with
tolerance for I have restricted its application to no race, no creed, and no denomination. Personal
criticism you must expect; lack of appreciation will be your lot; your motives will be misjudged. You must be prepared for
adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection, and remember, in the excercise of this power, I shall not exact from you beyond your capabilities.
"You are not selected because of exceptional talents, and be careful always, if success attends you efforts, not to ascribe to personal superiority that to which you can lay claim only by the
virtue of My gift. If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission, the power would have been entrusted to the physician and scientist. If I had wanted
eloquent men, there would have been many anxious for the assignment, for talk is the easiest used of all talents with which I have endowed mankind. If I had wanted scholarly men, the world is filled with better qualified men than you who would be available. You were selected because you have been the
outcasts of the world and your long experience as drunkards has made or should make you humbly alert to the cries of
distress that come from the lonely hearts of
alcoholics everywhere.
"Keep ever in mind the
admission you made on the day of your profession in
AA, namely that you are powerless and that it was only with your willingness to turn your life and will unto my keeping that
relief came to you."