The Calling of Moses Was Not Based on Strength
When God called Moses from the burning bush, He did not choose him for eloquence or self-confidence.
In fact, Moses immediately objected to his calling by saying, “I am not eloquent… but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue” (Exodus 4:10).
In the eyes of men, this might seem like a disqualifying weakness. But in Orthodoxy, it is precisely in our limitations that God reveals His strength.
Moses stuttered. He likely struggled to speak clearly. He may have lacked the boldness that great leaders often possess. But this is precisely why God chose him.
God told him directly:
“Who has made man’s mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? did not I the Lord?”
Exodus 4:11
In this response, we see that God does not seek the strong, but those who will depend on Him.
Human Weakness Is No Obstacle to Divine Grace
One of the greatest truths in Christianity, revealed through Orthodoxy, is that human weakness is never an obstacle to God. Saint Paul wrote:
“My strength is made perfect in weakness”
2 Corinthians 12:9
And again:
“When I am weak, then am I strong”
2 Corinthians 12:10
This is not just poetic—it is deeply theological.
- Moses stuttered.
- Saint Paul had a “thorn in the flesh.”
- Saint Peter denied Christ three times.
- Saint Mary of Egypt had lived in extreme sin.
Yet God called each one of them not in spite of their weakness but through it.
According to Orthodox Christianity, this is not a story of heroes but of sinners being transformed by grace. We are not saved by our talents, but by our repentance.
Orthodoxy Teaches That Every Weakness Can Become a Place of Encounter
Moses’ stutter was not erased when he accepted God’s call. Instead, God worked through it.
In the Orthodox Christian life, this teaches us something profound: our weaknesses do not need to be fixed before God can use us. The world teaches self-reliance. Christianity teaches humility.
Saint Isaac the Syrian said:
“God does not ask us to succeed, but to struggle.”
This means that the Christian life is not about erasing all human fragility but offering it to God. Even the Psalms teach us this posture:
“The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart; and will save the humble in spirit”
Psalm 33:19 LXX
When we are weak, we cry out. When we are broken, we reach up. When we stutter, we lean more on God’s voice than our own.
Moses had to trust not in his own speech, but in the God who made speech itself.
God Uses What the World Rejects
Moses may have been mocked or dismissed for his stutter. But Orthodoxy reveals how often God works through those rejected by the world. The stutter became a doorway to God’s power.
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As with David, who was the youngest of his brothers, or the Theotokos, a poor young virgin, God uses what the world overlooks.
Christianity is not about showcasing greatness but revealing God’s mercy. Saint Paul says:
“Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called”
1 Corinthians 1:26
God chooses the humble, the weak, the unassuming—so that the glory belongs entirely to Him.
Moses stands as a reminder that God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. And in the Orthodox Christian understanding, each weakness can become a holy place when surrendered to God.
The Obedience of Moses Transformed His Weakness Into Strength
Even though Moses feared speaking, he still obeyed. He accepted the call. And with every step of obedience, God worked mightily through him. He stood before Pharaoh. He parted the Red Sea. He led a nation through the desert. Yet at every point, he remained the man who once said, “I cannot speak.”
Orthodoxy teaches us that obedience is higher than ability. The greatest strength in Christianity is to say “yes” to God even when we feel unworthy.
Moses’ life became a testimony not to his speech, but to his surrender. In his humility, God’s glory shone even more clearly.
In our own lives, the lesson is the same. We may have weaknesses, fears, and limitations. But if we obey Christ, He will do far more through us than we could ever do alone.
The Voice of God Is Greater Than the Voice of Fear
One of the most important parts of Moses’ story is that he heard God’s voice. Despite his fear, despite his stuttering tongue, he listened to the One who made his tongue. God said:
“I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall say”
Exodus 4:12
This is a direct promise.
In Orthodox Christianity, the life of prayer is a life of listening. We quiet our thoughts not to hear ourselves, but to hear the voice of the Lord.
Fear will always speak. Doubt will always accuse. But God’s voice is stronger than our fear. When we listen to Him, He makes a way even through our trembling.
The Saints Also Struggled With Weakness
The Holy Fathers did not live free of struggle. Many saints were physically weak, mentally burdened, or emotionally wounded. But Orthodoxy teaches that holiness is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of grace.
Saint Porphyrios said:
“Do not fight to get rid of the darkness in your room. Open the window and let in the light.”
In the same way, we are not told to fix ourselves before serving God. We are told to open ourselves to His light.
The saints teach us to bring our weakness to Christ. It becomes our prayer. Our stutter becomes our offering. Our trembling becomes our worship.
Christianity Reveals That God’s Power Is Made Perfect in Our Weakness
Why did Moses stutter? So that no one would think he was the source of Israel’s deliverance.
So that every miracle would point back to the true Savior—God Himself. This is the heart of Orthodox theology.
All glory belongs to God. We do not preach ourselves, but Christ crucified.
2 Corinthians 4:5
Even our suffering can glorify God if we surrender it to Him. Our wounds can become wells of compassion. Our stuttering voices can still proclaim His Word.
Saint Paisios once said:
“God values even a small effort made with humility.”
That small effort—offered in weakness and trust—is more powerful than the greatest worldly strength.
The Burning Bush Still Speaks
In Orthodoxy, every believer is invited to stand before the burning bush. We are all called in our own way. We each have some weakness, some burden, some fear.
But Christ speaks to us as He did to Moses. He says: I will be with you. I will go before you. I will give you the words.
Let us not wait until we feel strong. Let us answer now.
How to Explain This to Children
God called Moses, but Moses was scared to speak. He stuttered, and he didn’t think he could do the job. But God didn’t care about how perfect Moses was. He cared about his heart.
Parents can explain to children: “Sometimes we feel small or scared, and we don’t think we’re good at things. But God made us, and He knows what we can do. When we trust Him, He helps us even when we feel weak.”
Tell them that God used Moses not because he spoke perfectly, but because he trusted God and listened. And God can use all of us too.
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