I received a lovely book from one of the Missionaries that our church supports. [For those of you who don't know I am not just a math teacher I am also a Pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and I work for an amazing congregation in Queens Village, NY. Our church is called First United Presbyterian Church. Find out more here.] The book is titled, "Weakness Is the Way". This book is really resonating with me this week.
The chapter I am reading right now speaks about how all the people God used (to protect His people, to lead His people, to teach His people) were fundamentally not up to the task, they were to weak. They simply were not capable of doing what was asked on their own. The best example is Moses who was asked to go speak to the Pharaoh, even though he was wanted for murder and deathly afraid of public speaking. He was to weak to accomplish the task on his own.
Ironically we talk about weakness all the time now a days. We speak of physical weakness as a fault, we chastise our leaders and our "friends" intellectual weakness, we gossip about others personal weakness of character, and oh do some love to revel in how others are weak when it comes to food.
All this reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon from when I was a boy. Lucy asks a sad looking Charlie Brown what he is worried about. Charlie Brown says, "I feel inferior." "Oh," says Lucy, "you shouldn't worry about that. Lots of people have that feeling." "What, that they're inferior?" asks Charlie Brown. "No," Lucy replies, "that you're inferior".
Very like Lucy right, to kick someone when they are down.
It takes great strength to support someone when they are weak and no strength to tear someone down when they are already made weak by life. We all have our moments of weakness (weakness we will survive with God), but how we handle others weakness is what really defines who we are.
The chapter I am reading right now speaks about how all the people God used (to protect His people, to lead His people, to teach His people) were fundamentally not up to the task, they were to weak. They simply were not capable of doing what was asked on their own. The best example is Moses who was asked to go speak to the Pharaoh, even though he was wanted for murder and deathly afraid of public speaking. He was to weak to accomplish the task on his own.
Ironically we talk about weakness all the time now a days. We speak of physical weakness as a fault, we chastise our leaders and our "friends" intellectual weakness, we gossip about others personal weakness of character, and oh do some love to revel in how others are weak when it comes to food.
All this reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon from when I was a boy. Lucy asks a sad looking Charlie Brown what he is worried about. Charlie Brown says, "I feel inferior." "Oh," says Lucy, "you shouldn't worry about that. Lots of people have that feeling." "What, that they're inferior?" asks Charlie Brown. "No," Lucy replies, "that you're inferior".
Very like Lucy right, to kick someone when they are down.
It takes great strength to support someone when they are weak and no strength to tear someone down when they are already made weak by life. We all have our moments of weakness (weakness we will survive with God), but how we handle others weakness is what really defines who we are.
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