Unlikely Heroes

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.   

I Corinthians 1:26-29 

God is in the habit of using unlikely things to accomplish His overarching will. He raised up a seed from ancient Sarah and even more ancient Abraham. He used Moses, a murderer and a fugitive to liberate Israel. He chose a young woman from the wrong neighborhood to bear the Messiah. He made a young construction worker the Savior of the world. He made ragtag fisherman, political activists and tax collectors, the lions of God to turn the ancient world upside down. These are the nothings and nobodies God has raised up to change the world. They are the unlikely heroes of the army of God. They appear in the holy history and their portraits adorn the galleries of the heroes of the faith. They live in the pages of Scripture and beyond. The Scripture says of them, ‘who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.’ The stories go on in age after age. God has made of these people the true nobility and the inheritors of His eternal kingdom. Over all of them is Christ their Prophet, Priest, and King. He has purchased them with His Own blood and made them kings and priests. He will forge them into a conquering army that will return at His back. He will cause them to reign with Him forever and ever. They are the meek who shall inherit the earth. Those who are nothing are God’s elect.    

Great God of Wonders, 
we rejoice that You make something of nothing. 
We praise You that those whom You have called, 
You also will sustain.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning