Weak Clay Jars
I’ve seen two recent blog posts that mention our weakness:
Ben from “Ben & Bet’s Weblog” with “Lesson # 1: Wonder Working Weakness.” (A report from his trip to Ethiopia, 2 weeks before our trip.)
Mark from “Called Out in Kansas” with “Strength Depending on Weakness.” (An excerpt from The Gospel Coalition blog.)
I learned something about weakness on our trip as well. Missionaries (neither short term nor long term) should not be placed on pedestals. Neither should pastors, evangelists, elders, or other church leaders. Any work is a work of God, and God will and can work through any of his children.
But, and here’s the connection to weakness, God will work through those who are weak in themselves. And, he works as we are obedient… not before. When we know that we can’t do something, and we begin to obey anyway, that’s when God strengthens us and works through us.
Alan,
I love Sci-fi, and tend to find a spiritual parallel in every sci-fi flick I watch. I think my favorite movie line of all time is from the first Lord of the Rings movie, when the council is arguing about who will take the ring. Frodo, one of the weakest in the group, stands up and says “I will go, though I do not know the way”. That line brings shivers to my spine, and almost brings tears! How powerful! (to those who haven’t read the book or watched the movie that line may hold no power, taken out of context, so don’t think I’m crazy if you haven’t read or watched!) Maybe I’ll write a post on what that series means to me, because there is so much to be taken from it. In this example, what you said about obedience rings so true. It takes faith for us to obey when we don’t see the way, and only by faith can we please Him.
Mark,
Yes, please write that blog post.
This was one of my favorite exchanges of the movie:
Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
-Alan