Yes—God deliberately chooses ordinary, weak, and foolish human instruments so that no flesh can glory in His presence.
Scripture says God chose the weak to confound the wise, and Paul was told that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. Les Feldick points out that God never used the great men of this world—He used the commonplace, so successful servants can never say, "Look what I did." God leaves His work in human hands so the excellence of the power is of God, not of us.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 — God deliberately chose the foolish, weak, base, despised, and 'things which are not' to confound the wise and mighty so that no flesh can glory.
2 Corinthians 12:9 — God's strength is made perfect in weakness, showing why God works through ordinary, weak human instruments.
2 Corinthians 4:7 — The treasure of ministry is carried in earthen vessels so the power is from God, not from us.
In 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Scripture gives the pattern directly: "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; 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: That no flesh should glory in his presence." God's choice of ordinary people is intentional: it removes any ground for human boasting. Paul experienced this truth personally. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul's own ministry also reflected this, as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:4, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul described the same principle: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The Bible's consistent teaching is that God chooses ordinary people so His power—not human ability—is seen.
Les Feldick repeatedly stresses that God has never depended on the world's impressive people. He teaches that God chose never to use the great men of this world—He didn't use the wealthy, He didn't use kings, but He always used the commonplace, people who had nothing in their flesh to offer. Les points to Moses as the prime example: after Moses became second man in Egypt and thought he could lead Israel out, God had to take him to the low spot before He could use him. Les explains the reason: "no flesh, that no human being will ever glory or brag in God's sight." If God used people with all the right credentials, they would be prone to say, "Look what I did." God will not have that, so He only uses that which the world considers nothing. Les also makes clear that Paul was not an exception—Paul was very commonplace, shook in his boots, and his preaching was not with enticing words. Finally, Les observes that God did not put His Word in the hands of angels; He left it in the hands of ordinary mortal men. Paul said the excellency of the power is of God, not of us, and Les applies this to his own life, saying, "I'm a nobody, and that's where it has to be."
Scripture says God chose the foolish to confound the wise, the weak to confound the mighty, and the base and despised things—things which are not—to bring to nothing the things that are. The stated purpose is "That no flesh should glory in his presence." In other words, God's selection of ordinary people is a deliberate safeguard against human pride.
Les Feldick asks why God shouldn't use someone with talent, a tremendous IQ, or a background of wealth and millions. He answers that "no flesh, that no human being will ever glory or brag in God's sight." If such people succeeded, they would be prone to say, "Look what I did." Consequently, God will not use people with seemingly all the right credentials.
Les points to Moses as the prime example. Moses had become second man in Egypt, the greatest nation in the known world, with all the power and authority over armies and public operations. He was totally educated and learned in the wisdom of the Egyptians. Moses thought he could go and lead the children of Israel out, but God couldn't use him that way. Providentially, the sovereign God had Moses end up at the low spot before he could be His instrument.
Les says people think Paul had a lot of guts, but he didn't. Paul was very commonplace, shook in his boots as he entered strange places, just as we would. Paul's own testimony was that his speech and preaching were not with enticing words. Les also notes that Paul's thorn in the flesh may have been a painful, repulsive eye disease that limited his eyesight and caused him to dictate his letters—another reminder that God's strength is made perfect in weakness.
Les raises the question: why didn't God put the Word of God in the hands of angels? He didn't. He left it in the hands of mortal men, just like you and me. Believers are not to sit on their chairs and do nothing; they are to labor. All that God has left for the human race is left in human instruments, so that the excellency of the power may be not of us, but of God.
Paul's Thorn in the Flesh
Les explains Paul's thorn as a painful eye disease that made his appearance repulsive, limited his eyesight, and forced him to dictate letters—showing that even the great apostle was a weak, ordinary human vessel.
God's Strength in Our Weakness
Les says God chose never to use the great men of the world, the wealthy, or kings; He used the commonplace because His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
No Flesh Can Glory
Les says God won't use people with all the right credentials because they would be prone to claim credit, and God will not let any human glory in His sight.
God Uses What the World Counts as Nothing
Les says very few intellectual, polished people proclaim the gospel because God only uses that which the world considers nothing, as shown in the life of Moses.
Paul Was Commonplace
Les says Paul was not a man of intimidating courage; he was commonplace, fearful, and did not depend on enticing words, which is exactly the kind of person God uses.
The Word Entrusted to Mortal Men
Les points out that God did not give His Word to angels but left it in the hands of ordinary mortal men, and every believer is called to labor in that trust.
Excellency of the Power Belongs to God
Les teaches that all God has left for the human race is entrusted to human instruments so the excellency of the power is of God, not of us; his own usefulness is tied to being a nobody.
God Brings the High Down Low
Les says through biblical history God chose the lowly, and if a man began in a high position God took him to the low spot—Moses from Egypt is the example.
1 Corinthians 1:27: 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;
This verse directly states God's deliberate choice of the foolish and weak to accomplish His purposes.
1 Corinthians 1:28: 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:
God chooses what the world despises so human power and status are nullified.
1 Corinthians 1:29: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
This is the ultimate reason for God's unusual choice: preventing human boasting.
2 Corinthians 12:9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God's strength is made perfect in human weakness, explaining why ordinary people are ideal vessels.
1 Corinthians 2:4: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Paul's own ministry did not rely on human eloquence or credentials.
2 Corinthians 4:7: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
The treasure of the gospel is carried in weak, ordinary human vessels so the power is recognized as God's.
Les Feldick says God won't use people with seemingly all the right credentials, because they would be prone to say, "Look what I did." Moses, for example, was second man in Egypt, but God had to take him to the low spot before He could use him. God's pattern is to use those who have nothing in their flesh to offer.
Paul was told that God's grace was sufficient and His strength was made perfect in weakness. Les applies this to Paul's thorn in the flesh and to ordinary believers: when we are weak, God gets the glory. This is why God chooses the commonplace—so the power is clearly from God and not from the messenger.
Les says Paul was very commonplace and shook in his boots as he entered strange places. His speech and preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom. God uses things the world scoffs at, so Paul being ordinary actually made him the kind of person God could use.
Watch the Teaching: Why God's Strength Is Made Perfect in Weakness — 2 Corinthians 12:9