WHAT IS IMPORTANT? WHAT MAKES FOR SUCCESS?

What are the things that are important to us in society? What does the world say we need to succeed?

According to most societies, to succeed one needs to be learned (have a good education), to be self-made (strong, determined and confident), and to be well-born (come from good family). Africa is no exception to those expectations. However, what does God say?

Let's take a peak in the Bible and see. In 1 Corinthians 1, look at the ones that God chooses.

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise (learned) according to the flesh, not many mighty (self-made), not many noble (well-born), are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (v26-29, NKJV)

I have personally witnessed this from my online time in Africa.

I was chatting to a young friend from Uganda. He is an evangelist and a singer. He writes very well, and he seems to have a good grasp of the English language.

One day I wrote a word or phrase that he didn't understand. He asked me to explain and he said that he was not very well educated. Well, I would never had known.

Then he proceeded to tell me how he was despised as a boy, and as he grew up he was still despised, even by pastors. Many were against his marrying his wife. They thought he would not be a good provider.

However, his faith in God astounding. In recent times I've witnessed him go through some tough financial struggles. But he believed that God would see him through. After some days of fasting and praying and seeking the Lord's face, he was able to testify to me of the Lord's provision. He took God at His word, and God came through.

And I wondered too, about his grasp of the English language. He tells me that as he had to leave school in primary school, he didn't learn to read and write English very well. But he had a desire to learn. So guess how he did it!?

Being blessed with two Bibles, on in his native tongue and one in English, he would read a passage and compare both translations. Thus he came to know and understand the English language, AND he came to know the Lord, and learned to walk with Him. Oh, we praise God for His Word.

In Proverbs it says that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" and also "the beginning of wisdom". Well this young man is a walking testimony to both. God has given him much knowledge and also great wisdom, far more than his 25 years.

I thank the Lord for such a dear friend.

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Now today, in my reading in Luke, I found another instance of God using the despised "to bring to nothing the things that are." I am up to chapter 4, after Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness, and where He begins His ministry.

He goes out in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in most of the regions He is well received, until he goes home, back to Nazareth.

He proceeds the same way as He did in other places by going in to the synagogue, and He read from the Scriptures, from Isaiah 49:8,9 and 61:1,2. Then He said to them,

"Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Well the hearers protested at His presumptuousness.

"Is this not the son of Joseph?... Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" (Luke 4:22; Mark 6:3, NKJV)

But as Jesus said, that is the way it is for the prophet.

"A prophet is not without honour except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." (Mark 6:4, NKJV)

This outraged His hearers to the point that tried to throw Him over a cliff. But He walked right through their midst and went on His way.

So, if you feel despised and worthless according to society, remember that you are in good company. Let us not take our worth from what the world thinks, but let is realise our incredible worth in Christ.

And remember too that God raises up the foolish and the weak and the despised so that "no flesh can glory in His presence."