Brothers and sisters, consider who you were when God called you to salvation. Not many of you were wise scholars by human standards, nor were many of you in positions of power. Not many of you were considered the elite when you answered God’s call.  But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty.  He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, I Corinthians 1:26-28 (The Passion Translation, TPT)

I don’t know about you, but I think this is one of the most hope-giving passages in the Bible. It tells that God purposely seeks out what the world sees as inadequate, awkward, and lacking. He deliberately chooses to use what others would discard. And I am sure we have all felt discarded at times.

God is the Master at renovating and renewing the castoff and unwanted. He can mend the broken and then display them as trophies of His grace. And He can take the pieces of your life and turn it into something glorious.

Have you ever felt less-than? Less than others who have more money? Less than others who have more prominence? Less than others who have more influence, power, friends, looks? Well then, you are exactly who God is looking to use! Isn’t that good news?!?

God cannot use those who are full of themselves because the world has built up their egos and filled them with pride. He uses and exalts the humble. He sees extraordinary value in those that society doesn’t place a lot of worth on.

Throughout the Bible, we read of people who were less-than; “nobodies” that God used and now they are immortalized in scripture as “somebodies.” People like Gideon, who was hiding from the enemy. Or someone like Paul, who was murdering Christians. Men like David, a smelly young shepherd that became king. Women like Rahab, a harlot that was key to the defeat of Jericho, and who ended up in the lineage of Jesus. Every single person who has ever been used of God had flaws (except Jesus, of course). God loves to take those that the world considers insignificant, and turn them into winners for His glory.

So cheer up! God has plans for you. His master strategy for the world is unfolding and it includes you! You are not a nobody to God. You are definitely an important somebody to Him.