…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
— 1 Corinthians 1:27
Consider for a moment just how incredible it was that God chose David to fight the giant Goliath. David was just a young boy when God called him. He was so young in age and immature in physical development that the Bible says, “And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance” (1 Samuel 17:42). Goliath took it as a joke when he saw who had been sent to fight with him. The giant laughed when he saw whom God had chosen!
First Samuel 17:43 tells us what Goliath said: “…Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Who would have ever dreamed that God would select a young, inexperienced boy like David to bring down this giant? It may have looked laughable in the eyes of the world, but this young boy who fearlessly faced Goliath in battle was the exact person God had chosen!
With that in mind, consider what Paul says in First Corinthians 1:27: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” The word “weak” is the Greek word asthene. It refers to something that is weak, base, feeble, puny, or powerless. This word asthene describes something that is so substandard, second-rate, low-grade and inferior that it’s almost laughable!
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When Paul wrote this epistle, the Corinthian church was the laughingstock of the city. In fact, believers were viewed as the laughingstock of the entire Roman Empire. Governmental authorities considered Christians to be a weak, puny, pathetic, useless group of religious idiots. They were literally the butt of all the jokes and were viewed as societal rubbish.
Yet these same Christians turned the world upside down in their day and evangelized the Roman Empire! Through their steadfast endurance and commitment to Jesus Christ, they liberated Rome from pagan religion and paved the way for the Gospel to go into the whole world.
The unbelieving world today views the Church very much in the same way. You see, the devil fears believers because He knows the power and authority they possess. That’s why he uses the entertainment industry, educational institutions, and other human agencies to try to belittle the Church and make it look irrelevant, inconsequential, and trivial.
The enemy does everything he can to give the impression that we are minor-league players — a worthless waste of time. He knows the power God has placed at our disposal, so he attempts to discredit us in the eyes of the world. Therefore, if we perceive that the Church today is the butt of jokes and viewed in a derogatory fashion, we just need to realize that this perception is nothing new.
Paul told the Corinthians, “…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” The word “confound” is kataishuno, which means to put to shame, to embarrass, to confuse, to frustrate, or to baffle. The word “mighty” is the word dunatoi, describing people who have political power. When you keep in mind that the political arm of the Roman Empire was trying to wipe out the Early Church, it becomes clear that this verse packs a powerful message!
First Corinthians 1:27 communicates this message to us:
“…God has chosen those whom the world considers to be puny and powerless — even laughable. These are the very ones God will use to confuse, frustrate, and baffle the political powers of the world!”
It took awhile for the Church of Jesus Christ to put to shame all the evil forces that had come against it. But in the end, that’s what happened! The Church eventually emerged in power and changed the face of history. The common, regular, run-of-the-mill people whom God had chosen were so mighty and powerful in the Lord that they “conquered the world” for Christianity in their day!
So quit seeing yourself as someone who is substandard, second-rate, low-grade, or inferior. You are filled with the Spirit of God and have the call of God on your life! Who cares what the world thinks? Even if your gifts and talents seem small in comparison to what others possess, that doesn’t mean you’re eliminated from God’s list of candidates.
In fact, your feelings of weakness and inadequacy actually qualify you as a candidate in God’s service! God is looking for people just like you, because He knows He will receive the glory for what He does through you. You’re exactly the kind of person God wants to use!
My Prayer for Today
Lord, thank You for reminding me that I am not the first to walk by faith. Others have walked this walk before me, and they did it with power and with grace. If they were able to do it, I know I can do it too, but I must have Your assistance to make it all the way through. So today I look to You to give me everything I inwardly need to keep marching ahead in order to achieve the things You have ordained for me!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that I can do whatever God asks me to do! He wouldn’t ask me if He didn’t think I could do it. Rather than doubt my abilities, I confess that His ability is working inside me. I lean on the Holy Spirit — His mind, His power, and His grace — and these divine forces enable me to successfully achieve the things He has designed for me to do today
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions to Answer
1. How has your life changed since God spoke to you and gave you a specific assignment?
2. What should you do to stir yourself up and get encouraged when you are in the middle of a battle?
3. Who are your favorite Old Testament characters? Can you say why they are your favorites or why you find yourself relating to them so much?