1 Corinthians 1:28-29 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
This is an amazing statement for anyone that has felt discounted, devalued, or diminished. God purposely chose you no matter how lowly you feel (self-hatred) or how despised you’ve been (harassed and hated by others). God delights in taking the people everyone else says are worthless and turning them to gold, humbling the haters. Have you ever felt worthless or despised? What led you to feel that way? How does this verse make you feel about yourself, about others, about God?
Prayer: O God, your love is amazing. We so often honor those who meet the highest standards of beauty, intelligence, success, and respectability. We so often dishonor the others. But you, Lord, are not like us. You give greatest honor to those who are at the bottom of the standardized scale, choosing them to be your vessels and using them to build your kingdom. Thank you for extending radical grace to us. Help us to extend that grace to those at the bottom, those that are excluded, and those who are denied fullness of life. Help us to choose like you choose. Amen.
Tongue on Fire 