Everything About You Is Important To God
God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
A boy in our teen Bible class described himself as “socially awkward.” I had to agree with his honest appraisal of himself, but I also love that God blessed me with getting to know him. His nonjudgmental attitude, his knowledge of nature, and his honest questions about and hunger to know God’s Word are a huge encouragement to me! I think of him and so many of us when I read this truth about how God uses us.
Every one of us is so precious to God…and so significant! The Bible is full of misfits like Matthew the tax collector or weak Moses with his reticence to lead the Israelites… and me and my family… and you and your family.
Jesus does not evaluate our worth in him by what we do to earn it—whether we are super successful or struggle with addiction or both. God uses our weaknesses, failures and what the world despises about us to show how amazing the grace of Jesus is for us!
Our culture can set us up to feel like have-nots. Our children face it every day by being taught to perform to be celebrated, whether it is grades, moral behavior or being kind.
But the truth is, none of us measure up to the love we want so badly. Parents and children both have the love of the Alpha and Omega, the Creator, the One who came to give up his life in our place. We are children of the King of kings, and he aches that we rest in his love instead of performing to be loved. As we live our lives FROM his love, not FOR his love, our peace will radiate to a world that aches to be accepted but doesn’t know how. By showing them Jesus on the cross, we show them what success really is: that Jesus gave his life to give us life forever.
FAMILY CONVERSATION STARTER: 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27-29
Tell your Heavenly Father what it means to you that he chose you to show his salvation in Jesus to those around you.
As parents and children, how can we use this truth in our lives?
What obstacles do we encounter that make us feel like have-nots? What does God say about them?