Another year is dawning and we all probably have one or more resolutions to enhance our journey. As we thank God that He did not wrap up history last year, we should make Godly plans for this year. Now, I know that having anything to do with weak Christians has no place on your New Year agenda. But stay with me, particularly if one such plan is to be more like Jesus this year than we were last year. A good way to emulate Jesus and become like Him is to deliberately become weak Christians.
Don’t let that last statement put you off reading to the end. Refer to this verse. “Consider your calling that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God chooses the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise ones. He chooses the weak things of this world to put to shame those that are mighty.” If you are familiar with scriptures, you immediately recognize that passage from the first chapter of 1 Corinthians.
And the bible doesn’t just make such seemingly controversial statements but takes its cue from Jesus. Jesus became weak so we could become strong; He gave His wealth in exchange for our poverty, His health for our sickness, etc. We call that the great exchange. But this concept of becoming weak Christians is so antithetical that we must examine it closely. And then, determine to adopt Jesus as our example.
Happy New Year to you and all your loved ones
Jesus Became Weak For Our Sake
Paul chose the same tack while writing to the church in Philippi. They too thought that being strong Christians was better than being weak Christians. He told them how by choice, Jesus Christ became weak. This is the One we claim to follow and whom we plan to resemble. That is why we shall do something unusual for us on this blog. We shall copy and paste a fairly large passage of scripture and pray it speaks directly to your heart.
Speaking about Jesus Paul wrote this: “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death. Even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth. And of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To the glory of God the Father.”
This year and forever more, God will exalt us. But we must be like Jesus and become weak Christians. Hopefully, you are now able to appreciate the importance of making plans to be like Jesus. Indeed, it is necessary, especially if you used to consider being a strong Christian to be an advantage. Being strong is a disadvantage, or else Jesus would not have become weak by dying on the cross. Just as He divested Himself of His glory, so we too must let go of any perceived strength.
Paul Was One Of The Weak Christians
Perhaps you are a prayer warrior or you can sing like an angel or preach like Paul. And yet the man you aspire to preach like, the Apostle Paul, had this to say. Addressing the church at Corinth, He said, “for when I am weak, then I am strong.” He was implying that to be strong, he had to consider himself weak. Martha, the sister of Mary considered herself the strong one, the competent sister. But the sister that everyone deemed a slacker received the commendation while Martha got the scolding.
You surely remember how Jesus, despite His love for the entire family, went about doing that. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” That was his gentle rebuke of the Christians he loved but who disdained weak Christians like Mary. If you consider yourself strong, God tends to show you who is the boss and scolds you. Have you seen how the churches that are run by “competent” pastors like Martha never seem to grow?
God Is The Help Of The Helpless
However, if like Paul, you consider yourself one of the weak Christians, God would come to your aid. Don’t forget, God is only the help of the helpless, not of the helpful. Contrary to popular sayings, God helps those who CAN NOT help themselves. What that means is that for you to attract God’s support, you must be one of the weak Christians around. So, allow me to ask you again, are you a strong Christian or a weak Christian?
Paul understood this and actively stripped himself of anything that could be considered a strength. You may recall that Paul was a lawyer, trained under the best tutor but he considered his shining resume as dung. In so doing and becoming one of the weak Christians, he was imitating Jesus. How well do I imitate Jesus and how well do you imitate Jesus? This year, let us make up our minds to imitate our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And then watch as His strength is made perfect in our weakness, as 2 Corinthians 12.9 assures us.
Maranatha!
