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Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:10

How many times have you had to ask yourself…
“Now, why didn’t I just stop when I was ahead? Why did I have to keep going and going? I knew I was going too far. Why didn’t I just let it alone?”

In human terms, when a choice is given between weakness and strength…
any one of us will choose strength, won’t we?

I took a spiritual gifts class several years ago that had a little different take on these wonderful graces. One of the things that helped so much in the class was the caution that was advised about gifting…

The study of spiritual gifts can have such an effect that once we believe we have been “gifted” in a specific way…
Katy bar the door…
we all come charging out of the gate with the passionate furor that…
at all costs…
this is the one thing we are meant to do…
and, by George, it’s what we’re going to do…

Then, sometime later, dust starts to settle and we realize that we’ve run over…
mowed down…
and, in general, wreaked havoc on our families, friends, and anyone else who has wandered into our path…
all in the name of “our gift”.

These areas of strength can become, after all, our greatest weaknesses. Just seems that we don’t always know when to leave good enough alone.

Ugh, it’s not a great feeling. All that “good” that we meant to do has left a trail behind a little like the aftermath of a tornado.

So what do we do?

The class I mentioned offered the characteristics of different gifts and included weaknesses as well.

I was told not long ago, by someone whose words I respect, what my greatest strength/weakness is. It didn’t feel all that good, but I knew it was true.

Well, even though Paul’s words written above speak of other circumstances than the ones we are focusing on…
the meaning holds true.

There is a balance we are reaching for.
In that balance, there is resolve and restraint at some points and response and consideration in others.
It isn’t always easy to like the sound of that…
not nearly exciting as “Geronimo!”…
but the way of Christ does seem to teach balance throughout…
the balance of serving others, and setting self aside.

Living this life in Christ has a lot of trial and error in it…
and we aren’t all gifted in the same ways.
I, personally, was sitting under a rock when good ole common sense was handed out….
or else I misunderstood what was being said and raised my hand when the clarion went out for those who wanted “to do everything the hard way”.

However it came down, I marvel at those who see so clearly where all I see is muddle.

Perhaps this has been God’s way of setting into motion our need for each other. We do need each other. I need common sense people around me…
and they need what I have been given, too…
(seems like I have to spend some time convincing them of that, though).

You won’t ever guess, but words are one of the areas where I’ve been blessed with a ready supply. It’s just knowing how to use them effectively that gets me into trouble…
and when to, like, know when to shush…

Finesse, we might say…
and tact…
consideration for others…
respect and thoughtfulness…
Oh, yes…
and, the much maligned, self-control…

Every gift and talent we are given has its purpose and blessing to bestow…
but too much of anything is still just “too much”.

Like every other thing we learn in our walk with the Lord…
we learn that weakness can become strength when we release our own agenda and yield to His…
and when we stop pushing…

We can help each other, too…
We can help each other tone down and slow down and find that balance together…
iron sharpening iron…
because that’s who we are…
and that’s what we do…
patiently…
gently…
lovingly.

This Christian life is an amazing way to live. For each generation, it is a grand experiment of taking these principles lovingly guarded and passed down to us for our own explorations and discoveries…
always fresh…
always new…
no second-hand experiences for any of us…
all guided by the Spirit of God.

It’s like the spring…
each generation coming alive again…
blooming and spreading out under the spectacular growing conditions that have reminded us age after age…
that there is a God in heaven…
and, even if all isn’t exactly right with the world…
we are blessed to live with graces that relentlessly, and certainly, weary the worst of evils.

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