I Am Weak, But He is Strong

The following is a great little analogy. It’s from “Teaching Your Children About God,” by David Wolpe:

A boy and his father were walking along a road when they came across a large stone. The boy said to his father, “Do you think if I use all my strength, I can move this rock?” His father answered, If you use all your strength, I am sure you can do it.” The boy began to push the rock. Exerting himself as much as he could, he pushed and pushed. The rock did not move. Discouraged, he said to his father, “You were wrong. I can’t do it.” His father placed his arm around the boy’s shoulder and said, “No, son. You didn’t use all your strength – you didn’t ask me to help.”

Anyone who has been around kids knows there usually comes a time when a little one adamantly proclaims, “I do it myself!!”

As with the child, most adults become even more determined to handle life’s obstacles on their own, a latter proclamation of their maturity and ability. After all, it seems we have something inside us that is ashamed to admit, “I can’t do it.” Something inside makes us feel less than adult if we admit we need help. Even worse, someone might label us as “weak.”

In Matthew 17, the disciples are asking Jesus why they were not able to drive out a demon when they understood that God had given them the ability to do so. The opening to verse 20 (Message Bible) is what caught my eye. Jesus says, “Because you’re not yet taking God seriously.”

It caused me to pause and ask myself in what ways I am not yet taking God seriously. Definitely when I delude myself into thinking “I’ve got this covered” – whatever that big stone IT is at the moment. Maybe, just like the little boy trying to move the rock, the disciples were so focused on proving they could do it that they forgot to ask for help through him who gives strength.

“…and then he told me, my grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

"Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle." Matthew 17:20