Helping Without Hurting: The Bible and the PoorExemplo

No Little People

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. (1 Cor. 1:27)

Surprise. Edi is a widow in Togo, West Africa who owns a hairdressing business. Looking at her life, it would be tempting to see only the difficult circumstances she has endured. But as soon as she opens her mouth, you realize that Edi is anything but desperate. She has formed small group ministries with over one hundred young women in her community where they pray, study Scripture, and save their own money. These young women are extremely susceptible to human trafficking because of their social and economic vulnerability. But that is changing because of Edi’s work. The women are learning how to support themselves, and Edi has led almost all of the women to Christ.

Paradox. In No Little People the late author Francis Schaeffer draws our attention to the paradox of our place in the world: “The Scripture teaches that much can come from little if the little is truly consecrated to God. There are no little people and no big people in the true spiritual sense, but only consecrated and unconsecrated people. . . . Those who think of themselves as little people in little places, if committed to Christ and living under His Lordship in the whole of life, may, by God's grace, change the flow of our generation.” God takes what is weak and foolish in the world to shame the wise, “even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are. . .” (1 Cor. 1:28). This upside-down way of working is the antidote to human boasting.

Glory. God is working through the materially poor like Edi. The point is simply that, for His own glory, God has chosen to reveal His kingdom in the places where the world, in all of its pride, would least expect it: among those the world calls foolish, weak, lowly, and despised. And while not all of us experience material poverty, we are all dependent on Christ’s redeeming work. He is at work in all of our lives, glorifying Himself through our weakness.

Father, we are weak, but You are strong. As we see the needs around us, encourage our hearts and show us what we have to offer—and show us the gifts You have given the materially poor. Use our offerings of money, time, and abilities to Your ends and for Your glory.