Can God use a person's worldly education, talents, or inherited advantages in His service?
No. Worldly education, talents, and inherited advantages cannot be brought into God's service as its basis. A person must first become nothing in his own eyes, as Moses did; even Paul, educated at Gamaliel's feet, had to begin as a nobody, so God alone is relied upon.
Les explains that God sovereignly placed Moses in the wilderness as a sheepherder for forty years, away from the public and people of stature, until Moses saw himself as nothing and a nobody. In God's eyes he was then everything. Les says that is still the requirement for service today. Whether a Sunday school teacher, missionary, or anything in God's service, a person must first understand that in himself he is nothing. You can bring nothing of this world's education, talents, or inheritance; God cannot use any of that. Even Paul, educated at Gamaliel's feet, had to understand that as a servant of God's grace, especially to the Gentiles, he had to begin as a nobody. In Corinthians chapter 2 Paul says he did not come with excellency of speech, not as Apollos, nor with wisdom, but determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified; he was with them in weakness and fear.