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Seeing the Value in Embarrassment
From My Blog Archives: Weakness is an Opportunity
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July 15, 2008
Dear Friends:julie2
 
Even the best laid plans can turn to worms. Why does God allow us to fail? This issue of Dogwood Digest will delve into the benefits of our fallibility. I know I'm not the only one out there with that kind of problem!
 
Please use the link at the very bottom of this email and forward it on to a friend who could use some encouragement! Thanks!
 
Love, Julie
Seeing the Value in Embarrassment
My daughter inherited her mother's propensity to exaggerate. When she was little, her imagination knew no limits. My reputation was at risk every time she opened her mouth. The year she was eight, she had the misfortune of breaking several bones within that year. The doctors were starting to look at me funny when I took her in to be examined following yet another injury.
 
On Easter Sunday, Melanie rode up on the front lawn with her bike, lost her balance, and took a tumble. Her finger immediately began to swell.  The next morning, I sent her off to the school nurse to evaluate whether or not I should take her for an x-ray. Marie came down to my classroom to talk to me. "I think it is broken," she said. "And I told her, no more doing flips off the curb on your bike.  It is too dangerous." I rolled my eyes. Another big fish tale had been invented.
 
As Melanie and I drove to the doctor, I gave her a stern warning. "No more big stories about your finger," I told her. "Just tell them exactly what happened."
 
The doctor and nurse were already regarding me suspiciously when we explained the reason for our visit.  Another broken bone? Was this mother some kind of child abuser? Turning their backs on me, they focused on the poor abused child. "Tell us how you hurt your finger," they coaxed my daughter.
 
"WELL . . ." I held my breath.  Here it came. "I was riding my bike, rode up on the front lawn, and fell over and hurt my finger. And that's REALLY what happened.  Right, Mom?" She gave me a big wink.
 
Oh, brother. I went home and told Steve, "I am expecting social services momentarily to come and take our children from us."
 
I don't know about the rest of you mothers out there, but I got more than I bargained for in motherhood. Rather than being my crowning glory with their unlimited adoration and impeccable behavior, I found that my children were more likely to be used by the Lord to keep me humble. Don't get me wrong: they were and continue to be wonderful children. But my life as a mother had its unexpected share of embarrassment and failure.
 
Yet failure and embarrassment have their purpose in our lives. We, of course, love the feeling of success and accomplishment, especially when it involves spiritual matters. We pray for God to bless our efforts and protect us from having things go wrong. But God's agenda for us seems to include a good dose of humility-causing circumstances, even in our attempts at service for Him. Why?
 
God is more interested in our relationship with Him than in our successful works. He knows how quickly we become self-sufficient. He knows our tendency to do even His work in our own strength.  Jesus was very aware of this and so warned His disciples the night of His betrayal: "I am the true Vine . . . abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me . . . for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:1, 4, 5) Don't get the idea that your success rests on your talent for preaching or your winning personalities. Your effectiveness as apostles will be in direct correlation as to how well attached you are to the Vine.
 
Humiliating circumstances are a sure-fire tool to bring us back to our original roots, that relationship that established God as the giver of grace and us as undeserving people. They force us to confess our faults, and acknowledge our inadequacies.  We once again understand that we cannot accomplish God's work in our own strength.  We are drawn to the feet of our Savior, eyes once again wide open, determined to operate in His strength. Only good can come of that process. "Submit yourselves, then, to God . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4: 7, 10)
From My Blog Archives
Monday, January 21, 2008
Weakness is an Opportunity
Tomorrow a new semester begins. Even after successfully completing three semesters in seminary, I still have the same old dread threatening to overpower me that I had on my first day of graduate school. I will be translating all of 1 Corinthians from the Greek (16 long chapters!), studying the Old Testament prophets (yes, ALL of them) as well as Hebrews to Revelation. The amount of assigned reading is staggering, and there are many papers to write and exams to take. It is all overwhelming, to say the least.

Yet being in this position, feeling weak and doubting my own ability, is a very opportune place to be. God tends to do His greatest work through us when we are at the end of our own resources. Over and over again we see God accomplishing his purposes in Scripture using very flawed people. "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong . . . so that no one may boast before him." (I Corinthians 1: 27, 29)

Gideon was one such example. He is found in Judges 6. Gideon began his march against the Midianites with an impressive army of 32,000 men. God stopped him and told anyone who was afraid to turn around and go home. 22,000 men left. God then told Gideon he would pare down the numbers once again, and after observing how they drank water (a true test of a mighty warrior?!) he disqualified all but 300 men. Against all odds, Gideon and his measly 300 troops conquered a vast army with empty jars, torches, and a trumpet blast.

There are many other examples of God using small numbers or unimpressive people to win great victories. When you read these stories, you cannot miss that the battles were won by God, not by the fighting men. There is no mistaking who the power source is.

When we are in a position of weakness, we are primed and ready for God to use us. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul knew this and welcomed his weaknesses. "So that Christ's power may rest on me. . . For when I am weak, then I am strong." (II Corinthians 12: 9, 10)

Many summers ago I received a call from Bob McCoy, the director of youth camp at Camp Berea, where I was to be a counselor. He wanted me to direct the Youth Choir. This was a special group of teen campers that practiced for a week, then traveled to a nearby conference center to give a concert. He thought of me because I was a singer, played the guitar, and led the worship at the camp (and he probably couldn't get anyone else). However, directing a formal choir like that was way out of my comfort zone. I would have to conduct, teach kids their parts, and generally appear to know what I was doing! This responsibility was beyond my abilities. As I tried to refuse, Bob made a profound statement: "Julie, you will never know the power of the Holy Spirit until you put yourself in a position where you cannot succeed without him." Convicted by his logic, I reluctantly agreed to do the job. In spite of me, the choir was wonderful and the people at the conference center were delighted with the teens. I was amazed at what the Lord had accomplished, knowing my inadequacies.

So I guess the semester is just another chance to see God at work through my shortfalls, once again demonstrating His power while utilizing a very cracked vessel. Someone remind me of this, please, around the beginning of April!!