In God’s Power The Weak Become Strong

My Late Father at Toa Payoh Methodist Church

'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.' 2 Cor 12:9 and 10, 

In successful societies like Singapore, it is fairly easy for us to praise and look up to successful and strong men. This can lead us to assess the extent of the grace and blessing we receive from God not in terms of virtue, character and spiritual worth but in terms of wealth, good jobs and high positions in society. After all success and prosperity are very visible rewards that we can achieve by working hard in a meritocratic society. So, we can easily mistake these to be the same rewards we could expect from God in answer to our prayers.

Like Singapore, first Century Corinth was a busy metropolis capitalizing on economic opportunities that the extended peace of the Roman empire brought to the region. Like Singaporean Christians, the Corinthians easily succumbed to the persuasive teachings of false teachers who equated the very tangible evidence of success and power in society to the rewards, blessings and grace God would bestow upon faithful Christians.

J I Packer wrote this in his book, Rediscovering Holiness (ref 1), “What do we Christians mainly preach and teach these days? The answer seems to be not holiness but success and positive feelings – getting health, wealth, freedom from care, good sex and happy families. What do we Christians chiefly value in our leaders – our preachers, teachers, pastors, writers, tele-evangelists, top people in parachurch ministries, money-men who bankroll churches and other Christian enterprises and other folk with key roles in our setup? The answer seems not their holiness but their gifts and skills and their resources."

In the extreme cases, we could even succumb to the belief that we should pray hard for material success and wealth for that is a Christian heritage which God has ordained for us. Then, if we do not receive these blessings from God, our faith must be weak or that God may not be happy with us.

In 1 Cor 12:9-10, Paul said No, the way to God’s favour is not by the route of power and success but  sometimes, by the route of weakness and suffering. The second pathway will more likely strengthen our character and resolve. 'My grace is sufficient for you and my power is make perfect in weakness.' This is a Christian paradox, when we are weak we will go out of ourselves to Jesus and receive from Him an abundant supply of divine strength and grace that will enable us to overcome these weaknesses. Paul was able to boast about his weakness because he has come to understand that Jesus is ready to draw near to him and to help him.

Most Christians learned this lesson when facing a crisis or suffering an illness. 

Nelson Mandela whilst imprisoned on Robben Island wrote, in a letter to Winnie Mandela dated Feb 1975, (ref 2) “Incidentally you may find that the cell is an ideal place to learn to know yourself, to search realistically and regularly the process of your own mind and feelings.

In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one’s social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education. These are, of course, important in measuring one’s success in material matters and it is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these. But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing one’s development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others – qualities that are within easy reach of every soul – are the foundation of one’s spiritual life.

Development in matters of this nature is inconceivable without serious introspection, without knowing yourself, your weaknesses and mistakes. At least, if for nothing else, the cell gives you the opportunity to look daily into your entire conduct, to overcome the bad and develop whatever is good in you.”

When we face hardship, deprivation and weakness, we find God. Let us be thankful with what God has graced us. Sing 'Give Thanks.'

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Lionel

Ref 1 JI Packer in 'Rediscovering Holiness.' Regal 2009 pp 31
Ref 2 In 'Nelson Mandela – Conversations with Myself.' MacMillan 2010, pp 211, 212

Updated 1st Published 16 Mar 2011

Where There Is Injury, Let Me Sow Pardon

'The Lord bless you and keep you; 

the Lord make His face to shine on you 

and be gracious unto you

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.' Numbers 6:24-26

Our Bible discussion group was sharing a chapter from Kent Nerburn’s book (Ref 1), “Make Me An Instrument Of Your Peace", when Low Li Eng commented that in asking to sow pardon where there is injury, St Francis was dealing not with the principle but with the pain.

Li Eng understood that healing starts by managing the pain not by settling on principles or fairness. This was brilliantly demonstrated by Nelson Mandela who on being the first black President of South Africa, established the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

South Africa was a brutally repressive state where a minority of four million whites ruled a majority population of over 20 million nonwhites in a segregationist, racist apartheid regime. There was widespread discrimination, racially motivated murders and beatings. It was unbearable. 

Soon it became clear that such a repressive  regime could not sustain itself. The white apartheid government had to turn over the country to the black majority. When that happened, many speculated that an unprecedented bloodbath of vengeance and retribution would ensue. Just elected president, Mandela was more than aware that his nation was a hotbed for revenge-seeking racism following the abandonment of apartheid. It was a earth-shaking challenge.

No bloodbath ensued when the power in South Africa was handed over from a white regime to the blacks of the country. Instead, South Africa managed a remarkable and relatively peaceful transition to democracy and majority rule. With Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela organised the Commission in 1995 to help South Africa work through the scars of an entire country and people. Its goal was to provide, on a national scale, an effective and productive way to allow blacks who had been mistreated or subjected to violence to seek justice without revenge. In an unprecedented gesture of national forgiveness, the Commission would also allow perpetrators of racially motivated crimes to seek amnesty from the government in return for testimony.

The commission was not vengeful or retaliatory. By giving those accused of racially motivated crimes opportunities to apply for amnesty, the South African government showed that being reasonable and forgiving to a degree could be beneficial. Revenge will simply perpetuate the hate and undermine any real chance for peace and advancement. 

Many who were maligned, offended or betrayed would ask for justice. After retribution, perhaps they could generously offer pardon. Instead St Francis knew that there is something even more painful than injustice and that injury needs healing. St Francis asked us to “sow pardon.” Kent Nerburn wrote, “Sowing does not imply that something is fully grown, only that the seeds of possibility have been planted.”

This act of sowing pardon was well illustrated in the movie 'Invictus' which was released in Dec 2009. (Click on the title to watch a trailer of the film.) Invictus is the amazing true story of how Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) joined up with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) in an effort to use the game to unite their country. Mandela loved rugby but the South African rugby team, the Springboks, was one of the worst national teams. Because of apartheid many nations had boycotted playing with the Springboks, so the standard of rugby deteriorated. Furthermore, the nation's majority blacks favoured soccer, not rugby. The Springboks team was viewed contemptuously by the blacks as a remnant of the hated apartheid. Over fierce resistance, the rebuilding of the team with both blacks and whites players began, with a distinct eye toward the World Cup final. They won the finals that year and Mandela's mixed Springboks team came to terms with South Africa as a fully integrated state. There was healing.

Nelson Mandella was famous as a man who forgave the enemies who had jailed him. How far was forgiveness special to Mandela? Graca Machel wrote of Mandela, "He symbolises a much broader forgiveness and understanding and reaching out. If he had come out of prison and sent a different message, I can tell you this country could be in flames." There is another forgiving act that is even more astounding, the forgiveness of Jesus on the cross, "Father forgive them that for they do not know what they are doing" Luke 23:24.

South Africa pioneered an approach that exemplified the Christian invocation, 'Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us.' The Afrikaner Whites were to confess and the African Blacks to forgive. A simple equation Confession + Forgiveness = Reconciliation brought a peaceful transition of power.  

We continue to search for peace today. When we look at the protests and violence over racial injustice and the divide between left and right political views in many cities in the USA today, it seems almost impossible to achieve any kind of peaceful resolution. In fact some are even talking of a kind of civil war and the breaking up of the United States. They should know that peace is a byproduct of forgiveness. 

Christians are taught by Jesus to forgive. Peter asked Jesus "Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me. Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times" Matthew 18:21-22. When we can learn to sow pardon, we will enjoy the Aaronic Blessing, 'The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.'

    

Lionel

Ref 1: Kent Nerburn, 'Make Me An Instrument Of Your Peace' HarperCollins, 1999