Sometimes, it’s all just a matter of perspective. Sometimes. But not always.

In Exodus 4:10, Moses was trying to convince God that He had the wrong man for the job of convincing Pharoah to let the Israelites go.

“Moses said to the LORD, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’”

Moses knew his weakness. He knew he was quite ill-equipped to be God’s spokesperson to the ruler of Egypt.  He may have been good at many other things, but wouldn’t you know it…the one thing he can’t do is the very thing God assigns to him.  And bless his heart, he really tried to get out of it. “But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.'” (v. 13)

I can hear the fear in Moses’ voice, and to my ears it’s bordering on panic. He just knows that he cannot do what God has called him to do.  He knows his weakness and his limitations, and they do not fit the job description. What Moses apparently did not know, was the power of God, and what would be said of Moses many generations later.

“The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’” (v. 11-12)

Here is what I hear God say to me in this ~ “I know you are weak. I am the One who created you, and your weakness. Obey My call anyway, and I will enable you to do what your weakness prevents.”

When we try to help people learn what their calling from God may be, what their place in the Body is, we often ask them “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” Then we focus on their strengths, because for some reason we think that’s God’s focus. It isn’t. It never has been.

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 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.” 1Corinthians 1:26-27

God uses our weakness far more than He uses our strength.  Our weakness keeps us close to Him, causes us to depend on Him. But mostly, our weakness causes God and His strength to be evident. It is His glory revealed when we do what we are called to do in our weakness. Our strength does the opposite.

Moses knew his weakness. God said “I will help you”. Generations later, listen to how Stephen describes Moses.

“Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” Acts 7:22

Perspective? Or is it what a weakness becomes in the hand of God?