God Can Use You — Stay Humble, Trust Him, and Stand for the Truth
Sometimes we may look at ourselves and think, “Why would God choose me? I am not smart enough, strong enough, or important enough.”
Today's readings remind us that God does not look at us according to the standards of the world. God can work through ordinary and humble people. What matters is that we trust Him, remain humble, and are willing to follow Him.
God Can Work Through You
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
St. Paul reminds us that God often chooses people whom the world considers weak, foolish, or unimportant.
This does not mean that education, intelligence, success, or wealth are bad. It means that we should never think these things make us greater in the eyes of God.
We may sometimes think:
“I am not good enough.”
“I don't know enough.”
“Someone else can serve God better than me.”
But God can still call us and work through us.
God does not need us to be famous or powerful. He wants us to be humble and willing to follow Him.
When something good happens through us, we should not boast as though everything came from our own strength.
Boast in the Lord.
Our gifts, abilities, opportunities, and even our lives come from God. Give Him the glory.
Put Your Hope in God
Psalm 32(33):12–13, 18–21
God watches over those who trust Him and place their hope in His love.
This does not mean Christians will never suffer. Following God does not guarantee an easy life.
We will still experience disappointments, struggles, pain, and uncertainty.
The difference is that we do not face them alone.
God is our help and our salvation. He gives us the strength to continue when life becomes difficult.
Trust God during the bad times, but don't forget Him during the good times.
Sometimes when everything is going well, we think we can manage life by ourselves. Then when trouble comes, suddenly we remember God.
Put God first in both the good and difficult times.
Our hope should not depend on our circumstances.
Our hope is in the Lord.
Have the Courage to Accept God's Truth
Mark 6:17–29
John the Baptist spoke the truth to Herod even though it was dangerous.
He told Herod that what he was doing was wrong.
Herod did not completely reject John. In fact, he was disturbed by John's words but still liked listening to him.
This teaches us something important:
We can listen to God's Word without actually allowing God's Word to change us.
Sometimes Scripture makes us uncomfortable.
We may read something and think:
“I don't like this teaching.”
But God's Word is not supposed to change according to what we want. Sometimes we are the ones who need to change.
The truth can hurt because it exposes our sins, weaknesses, and wrong choices. But God corrects us because He wants to lead us back to Him.
Be Careful of the “Shiny Things”
The world offers many things that can distract us from God.
Money.
Popularity.
Pleasure.
Status.
Relationships.
Success.
Approval from others.
These things are not automatically bad.
The problem begins when they become more important than God or cause us to compromise our faith.
We are human, and sometimes we will be attracted by these “shiny things.”
When that happens, don't give up.
Return to God.
Ask Him for the grace to persevere.
Don't Make Foolish Promises
Herod made a reckless promise and later found himself trapped by his own words.
Even worse, he cared more about what the people around him thought than about doing what was right.
He knew killing John was wrong, but he did it anyway because he did not want to lose face in front of his guests.
There is an important lesson here:
Never continue doing something wrong simply because you are embarrassed to admit that you made a mistake.
If we make a promise that requires us to commit a sin or harm another person, we should not carry out the evil action just because we promised it.
It is better to admit:
“I was wrong.”
Pride may tell us to continue.
Humility tells us to admit our mistake and return to what is right.
What Can We Learn?
Today's readings give us a simple message:
Be humble. Trust God. Stand for the truth.
You may not feel important according to the standards of the world, but God can still work through you.
When hardships come, don't lose hope. God is still with you.
When God's Word challenges you, don't run away from it. Ask yourself what God may be asking you to change.
And when the world offers you “shiny things” that pull you away from God, remember that nothing the world gives can replace Him.
We don't need to impress the world.
We need to remain faithful to God.
Reflection Questions
Do I sometimes think I am not good enough for God to use me?
Do I judge people according to their education, money, status, or success?
When something good happens through me, do I give glory to God or take all the credit myself?
Do I trust God only during difficult times, or do I remember Him during good times too?
When God's Word challenges me, am I willing to change?
What are the “shiny things” in my life that can distract me from God?
Am I afraid to stand for what is right because of what other people might think?
When I realize I have made a wrong decision, am I humble enough to admit it and change?
Do I simply listen to God's Word, or am I actually trying to live it?
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 1:31
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