God's tool chest

If we were in charge of a effort to preach the gospel, we would probably assemble the most eloquent preacher with the nicest voice, the most ornate and beautiful building, the largest circulation of newspaper, radio and television coverage, and the brightest thinkers among Christians.

But this is not what it takes to do God’s will. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 that God uses what is foolish to shame the wise and what is weak to shame the strong. There is no doubt that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:7-9), and it is interesting and encouraging to see how God can accomplish something great with something so seemingly insignificant and irrelevant.

In Exodus 4:1-5, God used a simple staff to show His power to Pharaoh. In Judges 15:14-17, Samson used a jawbone to kill the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 17:38-40, 48-51, David used five smooth stones to kill Goliath, the Philistine giant. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, Elisha used a handful of flour and a little oil to prove to the woman of Zarephath that God would provide for her during the drought. In John 6:5-14, Jesus used five barley loaves and two fishes to work a great miracle and show the glory of God.

God called Abraham (Genesis 12:1), Moses (Exodus 3:10), Gideon (Judges 6:14), Elisha (1 Kings 19:19), and Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8). God called fishermen and tax collectors (John 15:18-19) and he chose a tentmaker who was a fierce opponent (Acts 9:15; 26:15-18). If God can call all these people, He can call us to do His will. The wisdom of men want to use persuasiveness of speech and human wisdom to do the will of God, but He uses what is simple: the cross of Jesus Christ and the gospel (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Christ truly has “no hands but our hands, no feet but our feet.”

Kyle Campbell