“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11

As a parent and a former public school first grade teacher, we make allowances for young children who are still learning how to relate to each other and work alongside each other.  We invest ourselves in the their growing up because it is worth our time and energy to do so.  We call on God when we don’t know what to say or do and He provides help and wisdom. We discover later in life that those we invested in the most we will always remember with great love. 

We also know and remember all the Christ filled people who invested their time in us—and still do!

Paul was called by God to invest his time in Corinth, a city of unimaginable horrid sins of idol worship, sexual promiscuities, even offering their babies as sacrifices to various gods, among other acts of violence and hostility.  He writes honestly and opening of how it distresses him to know they are not only turning to their old ways of life but now turning on him who taught them about Jesus’ way of life anew. 

Paul speaks openly and honestly about his own weaknesses so they will realize that his confidence, which they interpret as conceited boldness, comes only from Christ who gives him strength to overcome His weakness!  Jesus is his strength in weakness!  And Jesus is our strength and confidence, too!

2 Corinthians 12, The Message

Strength from Weakness

^1-5 You’ve forced me to talk this way, and I do it against my better judgment. But now that we’re at it, I may as well bring up the matter of visions and revelations that God gave me. For instance, I know a man who, fourteen years ago, was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven. I really don’t know if this took place in the body or out of it; only God knows. I also know that this man was hijacked into paradise—again, whether in or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows. There he heard the unspeakable spoken, but was forbidden to tell what he heard. This is the man I want to talk about. But about myself, I’m not saying another word apart from the humiliations.

⁶ If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I’d still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I’ll spare you. I don’t want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you’d encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.

^7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

* * *

^11-13 Well, now I’ve done it! I’ve made a complete fool of myself by going on like this. But it’s not all my fault; you put me up to it. You should have been doing this for me, sticking up for me and commending me instead of making me do it for myself. You know from personal experience that even if I’m a nobody, a nothing, I wasn’t second-rate compared to those big-shot apostles you’re so taken with. All the signs that mark a true apostle were in evidence while I was with you through both good times and bad: signs of portent, signs of wonder, signs of power. Did you get less of me or of God than any of the other churches? The only thing you got less of was less responsibility for my upkeep. Well, I’m sorry. Forgive me for depriving you.

^14-15 Everything is in readiness now for this, my third visit to you. But don’t worry about it; you won’t have to put yourselves out. I’ll be no more of a bother to you this time than on the other visits. I have no interest in what you have—only in you. Children shouldn’t have to look out for their parents; parents look out for the children. I’d be most happy to empty my pockets, even mortgage my life, for your good. So how does it happen that the more I love you, the less I’m loved?

^16-18 And why is it that I keep coming across these whiffs of gossip about how my self-support was a front behind which I worked an elaborate scam? Where’s the evidence? Did I cheat or trick you through anyone I sent? I asked Titus to visit, and sent some brothers along. Did they swindle you out of anything? And haven’t we always been just as aboveboard, just as honest?

¹⁹ I hope you don’t think that all along we’ve been making our defense before you, the jury. You’re not the jury; God is the jury—God revealed in Christ—and we make our case before him. And we’ve gone to all the trouble of supporting ourselves so that we won’t be in the way or get in the way of your growing up.

^20-21 I do admit that I have fears that when I come you’ll disappoint me and I’ll disappoint you, and in frustration with each other everything will fall to pieces—quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam. I don’t look forward to a second humiliation by God among you, compounded by hot tears over that crowd that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways, who refuse to turn away from the pigsty of evil, sexual disorder, and indecency in which they wallow.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Pray for strength and wisdom more that the removal of our weaknesses.  Our weaknesses drives us to depend on God.  We are not supermen and superwomen of perfection!  We all have something that we must carry.  But that does not compare to what Jesus carried for us—all the sins of the world on his shoulders! 

I pray our weaknesses will drive us to the wonders God has instore for us.  I pray our weaknesses keep us humble before God who is God alone.  Without our weaknesses showing up daily, we would probably be tempted to think we are God.  Worship of ourselves would follow, leaving the protection and provision of God.  God does not spare us trials, but he helps us overcome them. God works in our weakness, because when we are weak his strength accomplishes the task. 

Only our Lord knows how to balance our lives. If we have only blessings, we may become proud; so He permits us to have burdens as well. Paul’s great experience in heaven could have ruined his ministry on earth; so, God, in His goodness, permitted Satan to buffet Paul in order to keep him from becoming proud.

We must not take advantage or underappreciate those who invest their very lives into our growing spiritual maturity in Christ!  Paul admonished the Corinthians for their lack of appreciation. One of the dangers of the Christian life is that of getting accustomed to our blessings. A godly pastor or Sunday school teacher can do so much for us that we begin to take the ministry for granted. Paul had taken no support from the church, but rather had given sacrificially for the church; yet they were unwilling to show their appreciation by sharing with others. It seemed that the more Paul loved them, the less they loved Paul!

Think of all the people who have mentored us.  Let us stop and thank God for sending them into our lives at just the right time to help us.  Thank God for His Holy Spirit living in us as the supreme Helper in our growing process to be more and more like Jesus! 

And finally, let us thank God for our weakness instead of being bitter about this thing that causes pain.  Give it all to God, weaknesses, warts and all, and watch how God turns weakness in wonderful blessings of His glory.  Thank God for turning pain into power as He pours on His strength in and through it all!

Lord,

We learn much about ourselves as we read about Paul’s life and ministry. Thank you for your Word that give wisdom and your power that gives strength beyond our own abilities.

In Jesus Name, Amen