The Strong

Something about guys that has become abundantly clear as I've gotten older is that we always think were pretty strong. While it might take different forms: physical strength, mental endurance, pain tolerance, etc; the main point is that all guys are constantly thinking about our strength. Often times, that mentality can get us into some problems because more often then not, we find out that we are not as strong as we first thought. I love the old Monty Python sketch where the weightlifter sees some kids trying to lift up his wieghts but they can't do it. He laughs, pushes them out of the way and bends down to pick it up himself only to find out that he can't lift it. Rather than admit that his strength has failed him, he tries and tries only to be rebuffed by the old man who walks in, picks up the weight and hoists it over his shoulders.

Case in point, my older brother Matt. Now if you don't know my brother then you wouldn't know that he has always been quite a bit bigger than me and, therefore, has somewhat of an advantage when it comes to strength. While I might acknowledge his advantage today, there was a time when such an admission would not have been easily forthcoming. So being my brother he often said things to me growing up that I took exception to and I would gladly call him on it and struggle would quickly ensue which usually (far to common for my taste) landed me on my back.

It seems common for guys that when we get face to face with a situation that is not to our liking that we immediately fall back to strength. Whether its a situation that just looks hopeless or a job that's seems to be excessively challenging our response is always "I've got this! This can't beat me! I'll just grit my teeth, put my head down and work hard." While outwardly we complain about all of the work we have to do, inwardly we are excited to prove just how strong we are.

I am constantly astonished at how often this plays out in the lives of the great men of the bible. Again and again these so called "heros" of the bible get trapped in a situation that's tough and what do they do? Once again its like, "Step back! I got this, I'm going to get this done." And what happens? Naaman gets leprosy and tries to buy his healing with all of the wealth and influence that he can afford and, if not for his servant, would have been sent home emptyhanded. Elijah tries to single handedly take back Israel for God and winds up in a cave pouting while God starts to raise up others to do his work. While Job starts off pretty good on his own strength is ultimately lets out and then he has to match his strength against God's (one guess as to who wins). Even David, the "Man after God's own heart," sleeps with Bethsheba and then, on his own strength, spends years covering it up only to dig himself into the grand canyon of holes.

I think the ultimate example of this is the rich young man that comes to Jesus in Mark 10: 17-29. The guy comes up to Jesus after searching for eternal life his entire life and asks him the same question he's asked countless others: "What must I do to be saved." Look at the laundry list that Jesus gives to him; "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Now that's not an easy list to accomplish but the Young Man claims that he has done it all saying "all these things I've done since I was a boy." Let me just say, this guy was strong. He might not have been jacked like we equate strength but to have stated empathetically that he was able to accomplish those things in his life, to have not given in to temptation, that he had lasted; this guy was strong. And watch, he's like "done... what's next?"

Strength is a funny thing... I think that it can give us a false sense of confidence, it can make us feel invincible, like we have no weaknesses. It didn't take Jesus long to find the weak spot. Look at what Mark says next "Jesus looked at him and loved him." I can just imagine Jesus looking at this guy, past the outward acts of strength which lifted up his confidences to the very heart of the matter, "One thing you lack, go sell all you have to the poor...follow me." I don't believe for a second that this passage is really hitting on money, that those that don't sell all that they own will be incapible of attain eternal life. While money is a major concern, and with the Young Man it is obviously his biggest concern, I believe that its not the primary point of what Jesus is saying. Once again, it says "Jesus looked at him." Jesus, awesome God that he is, look at the heart of the matter and saw what was true hinderance. While this Young Man had faced temptations and won that we might find impossible in our own lives he found himself lacking something. He strength had allowed him to acheive great things yet where did he lack? His problem was his strength. All of the things that Jesus had listed off were things that the man had accomplished; loving people, honouring people, not sinning, etc. yet there was not one act of dependancy among them all. Finally Jesus says to sell it all, all that he had amassed in his strength and follow, not lead, follow Christ.

Dependancy... its kind of like the antithesis to strength, isn't it? Here's why: with strength you have accomplished something, you did it, without you there could have been no victory while dependancy removes you from the equation. Dependancy requires humility and patience while you rely on others, strength demands action and accomplishment. On the face value I think I'd pick strength over dependancy 10 times out of 10. Who wouldn't want to be strong, to accomplish, to win? The biggest problem with our strength? Its the fact that it's our strength and, by our own nature, its not enough. Take a look at these verses:

Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

1 Corinthians 1:25 "For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength."

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, "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."

Isaiah 48:31 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

I love that last one in Isaiah because it hits the point again and again that we all will fail. That even the strongest amongst us are going to stumble and fall and their strength will not help. Yet were told that in God is found true strength, everlasting strength, powerful strength which is not held back but given freely to those that hope in God. And were not dealing with an amateur here, God gives strength and God is stronger. Hebrews 1:3 says that God "upholds the universe by the word of his power." I'll give you a second to think about that for a second... Here I am, trying to open a jar of rasberry jam while God's holding the molecules in place. Well, it was close for a second...

So true strength comes from dependence, a complete reliance upon God to provide. While we might think that we have some form of strength on our own power, we all (like me growing up with Matt) find ourselves on our back in a hurry and questioning how strong we actually are. We always come face to face eventually with a situation, or a person, who is stronger than we are. And once again the point can be repeated "God is stronger" always. done. complete. end of discussion. So, when I come face to face with the next situation and I'm rolling up the sleeves, be with a tough situation or a difficult challenge I've found myself in, the real test is am I going to be strong enough to admit that I am weak.