God Uses Feeble Saints

When they say that good things come in small packages, they are probably referring to things like engagement rings or robin’s eggs or chocolate mints. But they could also include the acerola berry (also called a Barbados Cherry), which is said to have ten times the vitamin C of an orange.

I love it when God uses small things to make a big impact: a slingshot that kills a giant, a mustard seed that grows into a huge tree, a small boy’s lunch that feeds thousands. He uses unpromising people too. Think of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those disciples!

My brother, Thane, recently shared the story of James Hudson Taylor who spent 51 years in China as a pioneer missionary. He also formed the China Inland Mission, which was responsible for sending over 800 missionaries to China.

When a friend complimented him on the fruit of CIM, he responded, “It seemed to me that God looked over the whole world to find a man who was weak enough to do His work, and when He at last found me, He said, ‘He is weak enough – he’ll do.’ All of God’s giants have been weak people who did great things for God because they counted on His power. Taylor relished in his insufficiencies and inadequacies, knowing that is where God’s choicest resources were.

Thane completed his post by saying, “The Lord seldom calls the fully equipped, but seems to get more mileage equipping the fully called.”

That’s wonderful news, since I often feel absolutely inadequate for the tasks God gives me to do. That’s when I like to remember and rephrase Taylor’s words: “She’s weak enough – she’ll do.”