Boasting of our Weakness

 

Wednesday, June 19, 2024


Psalms 110; 111

2 Chronicles 7:7-22

2 Corinthians 11:30-12:5


Boasting of our Weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30)



I haven’t seen every part of the world, but I’ve seen some of it. I’ve seen some pretty big mountains, and some pretty dense rainforest; I’ve seen savannah and subtropics and rocky promontories battered by antarctic winds. But of all these places, I think God was really showing off when he made the beaches of northern NSW. When people describe a landscape as “God’s Country”, nowhere matches that description quite as well as that part of the world.



Giving God credit for the good things he has done is good for our souls in a number of ways. One of them is because we are speaking the truth, which always feels good to do. Another is that it gives God glory (and we defined what “glory” meant the other day). To give God credit for the good things he has done is bringing ourselves truly in line with the way the universe is moving. God does wonderful things, and as his highest created physical being, we express our adoration at those wonderful things.



We all have our own skills and talents, and we all have (at least once in our life) done something well. A memorable teacher, perhaps, or employer, or family member, or fellow church-goer; someone has turned to us and said “good job”, if not with their words, then with the way they looked at us.



St Paul is needing to remind the church in Corinth that they usually think of him like this. But troublemakers have snuck into the church and turned them against him. And so the apostle is recalling all those things that use to make the Corinthians turn to him and say “good job”. The problem St Paul has is that he doesn’t think like this: he is just trying to show them right from wrong according to God, and doesn’t care whether they think highly of him or not. His message is more important than his reputation, but his message depends on his reputation, so he will push it only so far as it helps his message.



And so all his accomplishments are not his own achievements, but the achievements of God working through him. If there is anything good in St Paul, it is God showing off all the wonderful things only God can do, and so in order to be truthful, God gets the credit. Amazingly, this doesn’t harm St Paul’s line of argument – in fact, it helps him be even more convincing!



What are you currently working on in your life? If and when God brings it to completion and success, will you be ready to give him the credit?



God, you do so many wonderful things. Help me use the success in my life to point people towards you.



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