Strength in Weakness

Christy and I went to see Captain America in 3D around when it first came out with a friend for his birthday.  While there were a few things that bugged me about the movie, I have to say I liked it.

One of the reasons I liked it so much was the theme that ran through the movie of heroes vs bullies.  A bully is someone who uses his strength to take advantage of others.  A hero is someone who uses his strength to help others.  As you probably know, Captain America got his superhuman strength and speed from receiving an experimental super soldier drug.  The scientist who created the drug has to decide which soldier will be the first they test it on.



I enjoyed the portion of the movie that focused on that search.  While many of the military men pressure him to choose the strongest, fastest, and meanest recruits, the scientist is looking for something different.  Instead, he chooses this guy. . .

Steve Rogers is tiny.  Most of the other soldiers are at least a foot taller than him.  Steve Rogers is scrawny.  The uniforms and helmets he wears seem to fall off of him.  Steve Rogers is weak.  He has to give it all he can and can still only barely keep up with the other recruits during training drills and exercises.

So why is he chosen?  Well, the scientist tells us the reason for that.  Weak men know the value of strength.  He wanted to be sure the man he chose would use his strength as a hero in order to defend the weak rather than as a bully to oppress them.

Did you know that God intentionally chooses weak people?

God chose an idol worshiper named Abram to be the father of His people.

God chose the mama's boy and cowardly younger brother named Jacob to become Israel and father the twelve tribes.

God chose a slow speaker (possibly a stutterer) named Moses to speak to Pharaoh.

God chose a young shepherd over strong and able men to slay a giant and become a great king.

God chose an originally pagan foreigner to be the grandmother of King David and the great, great, something grandmother of Jesus and a lying prostitute as another ancestor of those great men.

God chose lowly, uneducated, poor fisherman to be the founders of His church.

The list goes on and on.  So why does God choose the weak?  Is it because he sees an inner character in the weak like the scientist saw in scrawny Steve Rogers?

1 Cor 1:27-29
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He 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.


God chooses weak people to accomplish His amazing purposes so that all eyes will turn to Him and give Him glory.  After all, when a little boy takes down a fierce giant with a single stone, most people weren't thinking, "Wow, that kid is strong."  Most people who saw that said, "Wow, God gave that kid the victory!"  Do you ever feel like a weakling and a nobody?  Can you relate to Steve Rogers?  Do you ever feel like you're just not good enough to do anything important or anything that matters for God?  Well then rejoice!  God loves to choose the incompetent, unqualified, weak, losers of the world to do great things because when success happens, everyone knows it came from God.


Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.


God is also looking for a certain kind of person to use.  He isn't just looking for the weak and unqualified.  He is looking for the humble in heart.  The person who isn't looking for the spotlight and the credit.  That's the one God loves to use and work through and empower to do great things.  Its interesting.  When you are seeking greatness for yourself, God is out to humble you.  But when you are humbly seeking to serve, God is out to do great things through you.  Just like the scientist sought a man who would use his strength for others, God is looking for humble people who He can trust to do great things and give Him the glory rather than hogging the spotlight.


So take a moment to check your heart.

When God does great things through you, have you given Him the credit or basked in the spotlight?

Do you buy into the lie that God can't use you because you are too weak or not qualified enough?  Remember, if that's true about you, then you are just the person God would love to use.  Certainly you should try to learn and grow stronger.  Don't miss the point and use this as an excuse to be bad at everything and not care.  But know that in your weakness God can shine and use you.

Do you feel like this devotional doesn't apply to you?  Do you feel like you really aren't weak or unqualified?  Do you feel confident that God can use you because you have a lot to offer?  Then maybe you need to hear this most of all.  Don't think too highly of yourself.  The truth is God doesn't need you and your amazing talents.  The talents you have are from God.  Beware of pride because God opposes the proud.  Remind yourself that you really are weak without Him and that you need God's help.

So for all of us weak people be encouraged by Marvel's latest movie.  Stay humble at heart and rejoice in your weaknesses, because God is looking for the weak and humble Steve Rogers of the world to do great things with.