Strength Through Weakness
Smooth-talking, successful-looking "super-apostles" have charmed the Corinthians, making Paul appear like a failure. What should he do? Have you ever felt insignificant or perhaps like a failure? Do your weaknesses burden you? Paul offers wisdom on what Christ can accomplish in these situations.
The Corinthians have grown enamored with "super-apostles," these smooth-talking, successful-looking, credentialed Christian life gurus and church growth experts. (2 Corinthians 11:5–6) In today's reading, Paul calls out both the Corinthians and these super-apostles while defending his apostleship and his treatment of them.
He tells the Corinthians they are putting up with fools and being foolish for doing so. He informs them that these super-apostles have enslaved them with their gimmicks, programs, and trickery. These guru experts have exploited them, taken control of their lives, and Paul points out that the Corinthians have sat smiling while these gurus have slapped them in the face. The Corinthians believe they are finally getting somewhere as a church. (2 Corinthians 11:18–21)
Paul then calls out these super-apostles for what they truly are: false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13–15). If they want to boast about their accomplishments, Paul will also do so. However, Paul's achievements are vastly different, and in boasting about them, he acknowledges that he probably comes across as crazy compared to the gurus. Paul's boasting isn't the kind that impresses the Corinthians or competes with the gurus; instead, he boasts about his trials and weaknesses (2 Corinthians 11:23–27).
What struck me this morning is how prone our flesh is to boasting about accomplishments rather than shortcomings. Instead of saying I am what I am by the grace of God, we prefer to say we are what we are because of our hard work, the books we’ve read, our credentials, and what we mistakenly call success. Yet, Paul said, if I must boast, I will boast of the things that reveal my weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30), for that demonstrates what the power of Christ has accomplished (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Are we weak? Then rejoice in the strength of Christ in our lives. Rejoice in the grace of God in our lives. Rejoice that the power of Christ can work through us because we are weak. Rejoice in the truth that when we are weak, we are strong through Him!
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