Weak or Strong

      I think we have a human problem here. We want to look healthy, be smart, physical fitness, good looks, tough self-sufficient approach to life. “Only the strong survive”, so they say. But what about physical defects – this short leg? This bad back or knee? This tricky shoulder? This nagging cough? A persistent money shortage, incarceration, etc., etc. Weakness seems to visit too often in too many ways. Then people want a strong mind & education. Look at our school system. It says be intellectually on top, be sharp and confident and current. We humans have no time for weakness . . 
     Now there is a major world religion (Christianity) that looks at this problem in a strange way. Paul the grafted in Apostle/Writer by Divine appointment said, “. . . when I am weak, then I am Strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 Is this a contradiction of reality? This fine chapter of Scripture also reveals Paul’s serious “thorn in the flesh”, and Jesus Christ telling him, “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This is possibly the hardest FAITH or Bible principle to understand, and I know it challenges the minds of the saved & unsaved alike.
       I believe this principle is revealing of God’s nature in frustrating the strong of this world. Think of Abraham, Sarah, Job, Gideon, David, Peter, Thomas (?), and other Bible characters who received strength from weakness. (Hebrews 11) God is a person that does not think like we do. And He uses our weaknesses to draw us to Him through Faith & Prayer.
       Here’s a few Old & New Testament references that seem to shine light on this difficult problem:
- Samuel 16:7b “the Lord sees not as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
- Isaiah 55:8-9* “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the                 heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
- Isaiah 66:2b “. . .this is the one to whom I will look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”     (God is looking for faith & humility in humans, and I believe this reference hints of His “Humbling Machine” #113.)
-  Luke 16:15b* “. . . that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 “but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the           world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to             nothing things that are . . .”
- James 2:5 “Has not God chosen those who are poor (weak?) in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit       the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
       So is Christianity a weak person’s religion? Not necessarily, but it does help if we give our weakness problems to God who is known to be PERSONAL, and has the POWER to help us deal with those problems. And there might even be a special kind of grace from ABOVE for those folks “behind the 8 ball” and disadvantaged in the race of life. A few FAITH points for all souls:
-Faith is relying on God’s power, not on our power.
-Faith is admittedly a horrible violation of today’s humanism.
-Faith is looking up for that EDGE in life that comes from the God dimension. And our natural pride (and the 
         worldly spirit) laughs at such “weakness”. (see “Persecution” #198)
-Faith is dealing with an invisible God in our circumstances which can be a CHALLENGE, but this challenge just 
         might be the basic PURPOSE of life – God testing us. (G-note #190)
-Faith is feeling a personal & spiritual relationship with the Living Biblical God. (see G-note #73, “Divine Presence”)
     For a contrasting picture of worldly strength and where it can take people, look at today’s university profs. & students who fall into arrogant intellectual pride, anti-Christ religions & anti-Semitism, which puts a foul odor in God’s nostrils. How about Vladimir Putin who is the world’s bully type strong man. How many dead people & destroyed cities lie in his selfish political wake? God can’t bless that kind of stuff, but He can bless & use many of our weaknesses.
       Some of my other G – notes deal with the weak or strong subject. They are: #23, #45, #136. G – notes on the faith subject: #75, #180. Choose Jesus, He is Alive, and helps us to BALANCE weakness & strength. And the Lord Jesus Christ danced all over the subject of FAITH in John Chapter 15. Please read that chapter & be blessed.

Many other titles: www.gospelnotes.org                                                                                             * * Fred J. Stone * *
                                                                                                                                                                                 #207