GUEST BLOGGER: Jan Koch

Are you feeling lowly and despised? My friend, Jan Koch, shares her favorite verses here and explains how her view of herself was not the same one that God had of her. Thankyou for sharing this, Jan. It is something I think many of us can identify with.

My favorite Verses

By: Jan Koch

"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. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" I Corinthians 1:27-31

I remember the first time I read these verses. I wept over them. Especially the part about the lowly and despised things. For the first time I realized that was what I was. Not in God's eyes, but my own. It was ironic, really. Though most of my life I had prided myself on being "strong," I had hated myself almost to the point of death. Now there I was, faced with two truths: I despised myself, and I wasn't strong.

But, in spite of my foolishness, weakness, lowliness and in my own eyes, "nothingness," God loved me dearly and had chosen me - ME - to shame the "wise" and the "strong."

By that point in my life God had gone to great lengths to show me just how NOT strong I am. My high energy, type "A," career-driven personality didn't take gracefully to insulin-dependent diabetes, a broken thyroid, severe depression, financial struggles, an eating disorder or breast cancer. But through each storm I found out more about who I really am, and WHO GOD IS. He is beyond my highest ambitions or grandest dreams; He is my deepest Love and my greatest Strength. These verses are a beautiful picture of what God does when I offer what I am, and what I am not, to Him.

Are you weak and foolish? Do you despise yourself, beautiful one? YOU are exactly who God has chosen. He's been looking for you, because He loves you and He knows that you will boast only in Him. Remember Jesus? how foolish He appeared to be, hanging on that cross, when He had told everyone He was God's Son, but He couldn't (wouldn't) save Himself? Remember how they despised Him...remember how WE despised Him? And look what God did through Him. He provided salvation to the whole world. Through that "weak" Son of Man born in a lowly manger. All it took was one heart, one life fully surrendered to Him. He will do miraculous, wondrous things in and through you, too, beautiful one. All it takes is your heart, fully surrendered to Him. So, what are you waiting for?