1 Corinthians 1: 27 - But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
It is natural for us to focus more on our weaknesses than the strengths we have. If we are given an opportunity to do something, our first response is to scream out, “No! I am incapable of doing this”. A fear or gnawing thought in us constantly telling us we are not good enough.
If we focus only on our weaknesses and our incapacity to do the things we ought to do, we will be caught up in a web of depression and lies. The creator who created you made you so intricately with every element inside of you with careful thought. He knows those imperfect elements can be perfected with his strength. It is just a matter of you asking him to perfect you with his glory.
The bible teaches us that God uses our imperfection to make things perfect. In 1 Corinthians 1: 27 we read, But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. If you believe the bible is true, then you must also believe that if you consider yourself weak or foolish, then you are what God wants to shame the wise and the strong. It is through our foolishness and weakness that God can manifest himself so that he can be given all the glory. Our weakness and foolishness will testify of God’s powers.
If you look through the bible, you will come across several characters that God used to demonstrate his power. These timid, weak characters were history makers who were used by God to fulfill his purpose for the people.
Let us look at various characters to understand their inability and how they were used by God.
Moses
Moses was born into an Israelite family and he was destined to be brought up as a prince. But God didn’t use his princely stature to deliver the Israelites. He broke him down and brought him to the lowly stature of a herdsman to use him. And not just that, in comparison to his older brother Aaron, Moses was not so eloquent in speech. But God didn’t want Aaron’s eloquence. God wanted the less eloquent herdsman Moses to shame Pharoah and deliver the people out of Egypt.
Esther
Esther was a slave girl taken into the King’s palace. Out of the several women, it was this slave girl who God chose to touch the heart of the persian king Ahasuerus. Slavery was no big challenge for God. From the several beautiful girls, God led the heart of the Persian king to find beauty in Esther like he saw in no other woman.
David
David was a shepherd boy. He was ruddy and handsome but smaller in stature than his brothers. Less experienced than his brothers. His brothers were already soldiers in the king’s army. They were trained to fight big battles. They had the personality. But God did not want their training or experience, he just wanted David’s inexperience. God used David to fight victorius battles and he is remembered as the man after God’s own heart.
Gideon
Gideon was a farmer by profession. A farmer is not known to have any skills of a warrior. God chose Gideon and called him as a Warrior. Even Gideon would have been confused with the title he was called. God used Gideon to fight the battle with a handful of soldiers.
Ruth
Ruth comes from the tribe of Moab. A cursed generation. But God did not see just the generation he came from. He identified something else in her and chose her to be part of the geneology of Jesus. She can be rightily called as one of the great great great grandmothers of Jesus.
What is it that is common among the characters we just discussed. Their lack of proficiency in the things they were called to do. Slavery to Queen (Esther), Less eloquent and timid to Deliverer(Moses), Cursed to Blessed(Ruth), Farmer to Warrior (Gideon), Shepherd to King(David).
God in his all knowing wisdom used his power to manifest in the weaknesses of these people.God wants you and me to surrended our weaknesses to him. He will use your weaknesses to change into strengths. Just surrender yourself and depend on him. You will be able to do mighty things for him through him. Phillipians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
