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 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 of healing other alcoholics and addicts 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 demonimation.
Personal criticism you must expect;
lack of appreciation will be common;
ridicule will be your lot; your motives will be misjudged.
You must be prepared for adversity,
for what men and women call adversity is the ladder
you must use to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection,
and remember, in the exercise 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
your efforts, not to ascribe to personal superiority
that to which you can lay claim only by virtue of my gift.
If I had wanted learned men and women to
accomplish this mission, the power would have been entrusted
to the physician and scientist.
If I had wanted eloquent men and women,
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 and women, the world
is filled with better qualified men and women than you who
would be available.

You were selected because you have been the outcasts
of the world and your long experience as drunkards and addicts
has made or should make you humbly alert
to the cries of distress that come fom the lonely hearts
of alcoholics and addicts everywhere.

"Keep ever in mind the admission you made on the day
of your profession in AA and NA,
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."