Because of all that was revealed to me, the Lord gave me a thorn in the flesh to keep me from becoming conceited. I begged the Lord to take this from me, but he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for in your weakness my power becomes complete."
So I will gladly boast of my weakness, that the power of Christ may be found in me. I accept weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.2 Corinthians 12: 7-10
Christian faith begins with the paradox of the cross. By accepting the cross Jesus gave himself up to the will of his Father, he made himself vulnerable so that the power of love could enter the world through him. And he challenges those who wish to be called Christian to take up their cross and follow him, to be like him in becoming weak so that the power of God may enter the world through them.
Everything in our human nature recoils at the idea of being weak. Our human nature believes that the world and everything in it belongs to us, that we are in control, that we should take everything we can get our hands on and enjoy it as much as we can, that we should experience everything, consume everything, accomplish everything. Our human nature believes that we are almost without limits, that we are almost God.
But we are not what we think we are. At unexpected times we are afflicted with a thorn in the flesh to remind us that we are poor creatures of the earth, not its masters. We are not in control of anything, least of all our own life. When we are strong we have no need of God, and we do not seek him or listen for his word. But when we are brought low, we turn to God like small and helpless children.
When at last we listen to God, he teaches us this: all things belong to him; nothing that we accomplish on our own is important; only by emptying ourselves of all self-interest and opening ourselves to doing his will can we be fulfilled.
God chooses the weak to bring grace into the world. He does not choose the perfect or the near perfect, the privileged or the gifted, the wise or the eloquent; he chooses instead the humble and the poor, the lowly and the weak, those who know how little they are in themselves, and how great God is.
Each of us is an earthen vessel, hardly worthy to carry the great treasure of God's love. But each of us is given a generous portion of that treasure, unique to ourselves. It is a priceless gift, the best thing we have. May we recognize it for the great gift it is, cherish it in our heart, and bear it tenderly in the world, until the day when we carry it joyfully into the kingdom of heaven.
Lord Jesus Christ, you were one with the Father from all eternity, yet you emptied yourself of the glory of the Godhead and came among us as a man. You made yourself weak like us, and gave your life for us so that we could be empowered by your Spirit of love. May we follow you faithfully in the way of love, and proclaim you fearlessly to the world, that all may know you and be led to your kingdom of peace.