DCLM Daily Manna 19 September 2026: Foolish, But Wise
KEY VERSE: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 1:26–31
or ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
READ OTHER DCLM DAILY DEVOTIONAL HERE
Harry S. Truman had only served 82 days as America’s vice president, with little exposure and experience, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt died suddenly in April 1945. Truman was promptly sworn in as the 34th president of the United States. Many assumed (wrongly) that he was a dumb country folk who would be a totally useless, lame-duck president. They were wrong. Truman turned out to be very strong, presiding over US victory in the Pacific with the unconditional surrender of the imperial empire of Japan. He implemented the Marshall Plan in the aftermath of World War II to rebuild the economy of Western Europe and established the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alongside the victorious allies.
It is according to God’s superior wisdom that the lowly and humble are exalted and the self-exalted are humbled. We learn from the omniscient God’s dealings with His creatures that His wisdom is incomparable and His knowledge limitless. In our passage today, Paul the apostle was on point when he described God’s way of choosing those He uses. He employs and fields people who are weak, foolish and base, by the world’s definition, and turns them into great instruments in His hands.
God is teaching us that victory is not achieved by human might or wisdom, but by His Spirit. Powerful people such as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod and other earthly kings who arrogated power to themselves were humbled by God. Only God deserves the glory in our lives. We also learn that believers need to be humble, holy and dependent on God for success in life and ministry and that each of us has a calling from God. Let us humbly use our different gifts from God as He directs us in life and ministry. We should also realise that every good success comes from God, and He has His own appointed time for us. Our passage also warns against self-glorification, that “no flesh should glory in his presence.”
We do not need to force a situation to our own profit even if it yields a temporary advantage because God could have a better plan or a greater reward for us. Current disappointment might be a way of making us acquire requisite experience, learn from our mistakes or escape [unclear] for a better outcome that God had planned. We should not measure up in a rat race with unbelievers whose values and ultimate destiny are different from ours. God’s leading might appear unreasonable by human understanding, but true believers walk with God by faith, not by human rationality. Once we are sure that it is God leading us, we shall get to His desired destination.
Thought for the day: God’s wisdom is beyond human understanding but wholly dependable.
The Bible in One Year: Numbers 29-30
DCLM Daily Manna 19 September 2026
