Every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. (1 Samuel 22:2)
This is the very beginning of David’s reign, which was the pinnacle of Israel’s history. And it’s striking how the greatest king in Israel’s history launched his regime with only the desperate, discontent, and indebted behind him. The citizens of his kingdom were the misfits, failures, and rejects who had been spit out of Israel’s society.
God’s kingdom has always been made up of really unimpressive people. When God chose Israel to be part of his kingdom, he said, “The Lord had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (Deut. 7:7). When King Jesus launched his reign, his right-hand men were low-class fishermen, hated tax-collectors, and political extremists. His followers were sinners, beggars, and prostitutes.
And nothing’s changed since then. As Paul reminds us, “Consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:26-27).
We’re nothing more than a bunch of fools, misfits, and failures. But God calls us, redeems us, and works through us, all so his power and glory will be brilliantly obvious. When you feel weak and unworthy, remember: that’s exactly why God chose you!