WEAKNESS EXPLORED
God works in the most beautiful ways. When God breaks into humanity, the frail become mighty warriors, the weak break down strongholds, shame is woven into grace and virtue. In His Kingdom, strength and power and holiness are found in the most unexpected places. The cross, foolishness to the Greeks and shame to the Jews, becomes the power of God for salvation. A tiny baby, lying in a filthy feed-trough is the light and hope of the entire cosmos. Dirty, unacceptable shepherds are chosen to receive the announcement of the greatest news that the world has ever heard. Yes, I think it's fair to say that God has a sense of irony.
All through Scripture, God works in this beautiful, paradoxical way. Prostitutes and murderers are listed in Jesus' lineage. An adulteress woman at a well becomes the first missionary to the Samaritans. Christ preaches that children are closer to the truth about his ways than religious authorities. And if God delights in using these weak members to do the most important business of His Kingdom, then the question that begs to be asked is this: who are we to judge what is weak and useless in this world? I think that we often make the tragic mistake of dismissal. By dismissal I mean that we don't even take into consideration the incredible potential that every human being has in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes we dismiss ourselves; sometimes we dismiss others. We don't think we are good enough or smart enough or strong enough to step into the battle against darkness ongoing that Christ leads us into. How dare we think so lowly of ourselves. Really, if God can use weak, betraying men like the apostles to change the face of the entire Roman world, surely he can take us in all of our brokenness and turn us into forces to be reckoned with. He's done it all along. He will work his beautiful irony in us as well.
What weak parts of your life do you dismiss as being un-workable or un-usable? Have you ever experienced something wonderful come about through something that you considered unimportant or weak? Are there other people that you've dismissed as being unreachable or untouchable?
All through Scripture, God works in this beautiful, paradoxical way. Prostitutes and murderers are listed in Jesus' lineage. An adulteress woman at a well becomes the first missionary to the Samaritans. Christ preaches that children are closer to the truth about his ways than religious authorities. And if God delights in using these weak members to do the most important business of His Kingdom, then the question that begs to be asked is this: who are we to judge what is weak and useless in this world? I think that we often make the tragic mistake of dismissal. By dismissal I mean that we don't even take into consideration the incredible potential that every human being has in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes we dismiss ourselves; sometimes we dismiss others. We don't think we are good enough or smart enough or strong enough to step into the battle against darkness ongoing that Christ leads us into. How dare we think so lowly of ourselves. Really, if God can use weak, betraying men like the apostles to change the face of the entire Roman world, surely he can take us in all of our brokenness and turn us into forces to be reckoned with. He's done it all along. He will work his beautiful irony in us as well.
What weak parts of your life do you dismiss as being un-workable or un-usable? Have you ever experienced something wonderful come about through something that you considered unimportant or weak? Are there other people that you've dismissed as being unreachable or untouchable?
posted by Journey Church at 9:57 a.m.
2 Comments:
This theme really resonates with me, Chris. In the movie Akeelah and the Bee there is a quote from Marianne Williamson that is along this same theme:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
This tension between, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made in God's image" and "I am a fallen sinner who is nothing without God" is an important conversation!
Troy Hodgson
I have a herd time with Faith sometimes. I end up feeling ashamed of myself becuase my faith isn't strong enough that it is a weakness and that God must be dissapointed in me. I KNOW that this isn't true, but can't help feeling like that at times. I recieved affirmation for this the other day. My mom called me just to tell me that my dad, (who supports my beliefs, but up until recently wanted nothing to do with them) had been on the phone with his mom, and was teliing her that he had seen my life change a lot in the past year or so and that when he talks to me, he is amazed by the faith I have in God, and the peace it seems to have brought into my life. I was reminded by this that my opinions of myself are more of a hinderance to me than anything else at times and it helped me to start letting up on myself and be content.
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