There is a strong trend in our lives today that is slowly shaping the way we see ourselves and others. We start judging ourselves by how “useful” we are: how productive we are at work, how much we contribute, and how much impact we can make. Slowly, our self-worth becomes tied to function. So when we feel that we are no longer producing, no longer needed, or lagging behind others, we feel as if we have lost our meaning.

Amidst such perspectives, Isaiah 10:20-34 presents a very different perspective. The text speaks of a "remnant", a small group of the people of Israel who remain after the crisis and judgement. Historically, this relates to the threats and attacks of Assyria, the great power pressing down on Judah. In that situation, much was destroyed, much was lost. Only a few remained. But that is precisely the turning point. Isaiah emphasises that this “remnant” are not simply those who happen to survive, but those who return to God. They are people who have learnt, through bitter experience, that relying on the power of the world never really saves. Socially, they may seem small, insignificant, even devoid of bargaining power. But theologically, it is they who are the centre of God's attention.

This is where we see something important: God does not work with the logic of the majority. Instead, He builds the future through the remnant, the small, the seemingly insignificant. Even when Assyria comes like a storm and causes great panic, in the end it is God who acts. The great, seemingly invincible power is described as a forest that is cut down. What looks solid can come crashing down in an instant.

Friends of the Bible, perhaps in this world often the value of a person is determined by his or her "usefulness". The strong are considered important, the productive are considered valuable, the small and the remaining are considered irrelevant. However, Isaiah reverses that logic. Before God, man's value is not determined merely by his "function" but by his relationship. By the fact that he belongs to God and returns to Him. So, let us reorganise the way we see ourselves and others. There may be times when we feel "useless", not as productive as we used to be, not as strong as we used to be, not as influential as we used to be. But remember that we never cease to be valuable before God.