There are times when the Bible says we should forget the former things (Isaiah 43:18) and times when the Bible says we should recall our beginnings. One such verse is 1 Corinthians 1:26. “Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.” (1 Corinthians 1:26, CSB)
Consider your calling. Paul is not asking us to reflect on what God has called us to be or do. But to consider who we were in relation to the world. Few of us were wise in the world’s estimation, and many of us were children. Few of us held positions of worldly power and influence. Few were of nobility or “born with a silver spoon,” as the saying goes.
So, why is God choosing to mainly reveal Himself to us nobodies instead of to the wise, rich, influential, and powerful? I mean, one mention in a lyric by Taylor Swift would sway millions. Paul explains God’s intention. “Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:27–29, CSB) God chooses to work through ordinary folks to bring to nothing what is viewed as something.
God didn’t choose you by accident. No matter your place and station in life, God desires to work through you. Most of the work of the kingdom is done by nobodies, those folks who quietly live out their radical faith with little fanfare or notice. They are the ones that make an outsized impact that only a few notice. But God sees them, empowers them, and chooses them.
I count myself in that group of nobodies who are quietly living out a radical faith in Christ. I’m not wise, rich, or powerful in the eyes of the world. All I do is pray, study the Word, and write. If somehow those words impact your life, it’s God and not me. My goal is to be nothing more than a bridge, a means of connecting folks with God and His Word. The reports I most enjoy reading are about how God used our simple words to change someone’s heart, life, and faith. It’s not that I’m a masterful writer who can persuade with words. In the world’s view, I’m less than a hack. But God uses those strung-together words despite that.
Consider your calling. It may seem you have nothing to offer, but that is not so. If you draw breath, God will use you. He chose you. He called you to be a part of His family. Your thing is your thing. Perhaps it is as simple as modeling grace while playing games with your grandkids. Fixing someone’s roof. Baking and sharing a loaf of bread. Offering a cup of water or a kind word. Mentoring someone in something you know. Teaching Sunday school or writing a blog. And many other ways that you are able to build bridges with people in small yet meaningful and God-empowered ways. When that happens, we can all boast about what God has done and is doing.
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