“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’”1 Corinthians 1:26-31
When the world’s darkness feels overwhelming, God’s Word reminds us of His kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul challenges us to consider our calling: God doesn’t choose the worldly wise, powerful, or elite. Instead, He selects the foolish, weak, and despised—those the world dismisses—to showcase His glory. This ensures no one can boast in their own strength, for we were created for God’s glory. When we are born again and live in His Divine purpose for our lives—HE is evident in ALL we do.
Consider Charlotte Gigges Moon “Lottie Moon”, a Baptist missionary whose life embodies this truth. Born in 1840 to a wealthy Virginia family, she seemed an unlikely candidate for God’s work. Petite, standing barely over four feet, and initially skeptical of faith, Lottie was far from the world’s ideal of influence. She resisted Christianity in her youth, finding it irrelevant. But at a revival meeting in 1858, God stirred her heart, and she surrendered to Christ. Later, she was called to missions and defied expectations for women of her time. She sailed to China in 1873 as a single missionary sent by the Southern Baptist Convention.
With little more than her faith and determination, Lottie served in Shandong Province, facing cultural barriers, financial struggles, and isolation. She taught children, shared the Gospel, and lived among the Chinese, adopting their dress and customs to build trust. Despite her small stature and limited resources, her impact was immense. She planted churches, trained local believers, and advocated for women’s roles in missions. Her letters home inspired the creation of the Woman’s Missionary Union and the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which has raised millions for global missions since 1888.
In the final months of her life, Lottie was serving in Pingdu, Shandong Province, amid widespread starvation caused by the famine and the Xinhai Revolution. Deeply empathetic, she shared her own food and resources with the suffering Chinese people, often going without meals herself to feed orphans and families. This self-sacrifice, combined with the stress of the crisis and the Foreign Mission Board’s financial struggles, took a heavy toll on her already frail health. By late 1912, she weighed just 50 pounds and was described as emaciated and delirious. She was en route to the United States for a much-needed furlough after nearly 40 years of service in China, when, on December 24, 1912, at the age of 72, aboard the steamship Reality while it was anchored in the harbor of Kobe, Japan, she went to be with Jesus. Lottie’s work transformed countless lives, proving God uses the weak and smallest folks to accomplish the extraordinary.
When we see the world’s powerful or wise, we need not fear or envy. Like Lottie, we can reject self-reliance, embrace humility, and trust God’s strength to work through our weaknesses. In Him, we find the courage to do all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13) One of our greatest enemies to accomplishing the miracles God can do through us is—our pride and independence from Him.
Pride lures us to rely on ourselves, pulling us from God’s presence and leaving us vulnerable. It causes us to become fearful. We stay in the boat instead of walking on the water. But remember what 2 Timothy 1:7 teaches us: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” When we operate in humility, we are able to think and operate in the brilliant mind of Christ. He empowers us to face any challenge, not because of OUR greatness, but because of HIS.
Reflection Question
Consider one of your own limitations, or maybe even difficult circumstances, and ask God how He may be calling you to trust Him so you can do greater works than you can imagine.
Prayer
Father, thank You for choosing the weak to display Your glory. Forgive me for relying on my own strength or interpreting my inadequacies as anything less than gifts. Help me to see myself for who I really am, and to see You for who You really are. Help me to live with the knowledge that I can do all things through Christ. Help me to trust Your wisdom and power to work through my weakness. Fill me with Your Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, and guide me to serve humbly for Your glory. May I boast only in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
