Power of a Single Letter

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27).

Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, in commenting on these verses said she had been saved by the letter “M.” If not for the letter “m,” the verse would state that “not any noble” would be called to salvation. She was born in 1707 into a wealthy, noble, English family and was raised in a 40-room mansion. She married into nobility and was high-ranking in English society. Her life changed when she accepted Jesus as her Savior, after her sister-in-law witnessed to her.

She dedicated her life to caring for the poor and the sick while also witnessing to the elites in the government and the Church of England. She established over 200 chapels and mission stations throughout England. She also helped establish a seminary as an alternative to Oxford and Cambridge whose curriculum had departed from correctly teaching God’s word. Missionaries from her school reached out to American Indians and slaves. She was true to her calling.

Why so few wise and mighty? Pride. Man takes the blessings of God and attributes them to their efforts and abilities. Moses warned the people when they were about to enter the Promised Land, “Beware that you do not forget Yehovah your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget Yehovah your God” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).

Instead we are to honor and, “remember Yehovah your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Jesus told a parable of a rich man who forgot this fact.

“The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’” (Luke 12:16-21)

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, …for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21). Let us be rich in heaven and faithful on earth.