God uses what is in our hands.
Have you heard the expression, “The grass is always greener on the other side? Sometimes it’s tempting to think that things will be better once we have what others have—their talents, opportunities, money or friends. But time and again, we see in the Bible that God uses what is in our hands for His glory.
A beautiful example of this is when David fights Goliath (1 Samuel 17).
When Saul heard there was finally a man brave and strong enough to fight Goliath–the giant who had been taunting them to the point that all his men would flee (1 Samuel 17:24) –he said:
“Go, and the Lord be with you.” Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. – 1 Samuel 17:37-39
The king’s armour is most likely the best there is; it’s reasonable to expect David to want the best possible defence against Goliath. And he puts it on, but it doesn’t fit him.
As the story continues, we learn that David approaches Goliath with his own staff in hand and kills him with his sling. This simple attire may be what caused Goliath to significantly underestimate David, and perhaps that’s what gave him the upper hand.
We can’t know that for sure, but what we do know is that God uses what is in our hand, even if that doesn’t seem like very much to us or even to others.
What do you have in your hand?
