How come nobody ever tries to present the Christian life as unspectacular? Why is it that so often we magnify journeying with Jesus as if it were an amazing, cutting edge safari-adventure filled with excitement and drama and brilliant fireworks? It would seem to me that our sensationalized culture, bent on exaggerated marketing, has now seeped into the church and influenced Christians into presenting Christianity 4.0.1 to this generation, complete with maximized octane and flavor enhancement. Slick marketing threatens to replace true witness and I love to fight this trend by remaining connected to the reality of Christian life and ministry as revealed through the Apostle Paul. Listen to his own words as he wrote a letter to a church that was disregarding him due to his lack of impressiveness:
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.” – 2 Corinthians 11:30-33 {ESV}
A servant, a window, a basket and a moving on to the next appointment. Here’s the deal: Paul was not the impressive, barrel-chested, sinewed super hero that we would like to envision. Based on his testimony and a few snippets from ancient historians, Paul was a frail, ugly, weak-speaking man living in a culture and among a people group who cherished outward impressiveness. In the above excerpt we see this human architect of the Gospel message as being so pitiful that he barely survived a manhunt through the means of rope, a basket and some calloused hands lowering him to safety below. Read it again: a King appoints a governor who establishes a guard at the city of Damascus with the task of capturing this little man who was chosen by God for lifetime servanthood and eternal glory. Paul’s servanthood impressed very few in his day. His glory was regarded by even fewer still. The man who is an icon to you and to me was disregarded by most in his day. When a King, a governor and a swarm of soldiers came against Paul, there were no mighty angels moving to his rescue. No, God made use of the immediately available and highly mundane resources that were right at Paul’s feet. Some friends let him down through a window and off he ran into the Damascus night. Oh the glamorous life of being the Apostle Paul!
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness…” Paul had learned the joy and peace of bowing out of the presumed pressure of showing others how capable he was. He knew differently and this afforded him great opportunity to allow for others to see the strength and glory of his Savior.
Let us be encouraged today that we need not strive for developing our own strength when God has determined to reserve His most glorious displays to be revealed through our weakness. As you look forward into the week to come it is likely that you won’t feel up to task for some (much?) of what is headed your way. It may be wiser for you to pray for a renewed sense of dependence instead of a fresh tank of determination and strength. Maybe you are correctly assessing things when you conclude that you just aren’t up to the fight right now. Maybe that is perfectly reasonable and actually acceptable to God as long as it creates in you a desire to welcome His version of Paul’s open window and supportive basket into your own life. Here’s the essential truth that we frequently push out of our minds: God doesn’t want you operating in a greater sense of your own strength. He desires you to live in a healthier dependence on His. Go ahead and be weak if you need to be, only do it with a cry for help to your King. Be tired if you are tired but wait upon Him for true refreshing. Did you rise up in confusion today? The omniscient Lord who loves you will give clarity in time; until then, walk in what you know for certain. This journey of faith isn’t supposed to result in you becoming bigger. Our dirty little secret is that the life of the Christian is meant to reduce us so that what is seen by others is the greatness of the Master and the joy of His servant. If you find yourself in weakness today…
…you might just be right on track.