Weakness part 3
A weakness isn't the worst thing in the world. It can be an opportunity to let someone else into your life. I Rant a lot about how things work out better when we work together, right? How we're all in this together. How we can't do it alone. Well, if we try to hide our weaknesses, or pretend they don't exist, then we'll always just try to do everything on our own. I quoted that memory verse where Jesus said His strength is made perfect in weakness the other day. But His strength is found... in us. I'll keep using my math weakness as an example. I can try to do math myself, but it won't go well. Trust me. Or I can ask for help. And, in asking, I can make a connection with the person who is helping me. We can bond over the experience. My weakness can make US stronger. And, really, that's what this life is all about. Relationship. Connection. If I can do it all myself, then what's the point of interacting with anybody? But a lot of people feel that way. Or they feel like it's shameful to have, and show, weakness. So it's like both sides of a coin--either we feel like we're too good to ask for help, or we feel like we're not good enough to ask for help. And either way, we don't get the help we need. Guys, we have to get rid of the stygma that comes with showing weakness or asking for help. We all need help. Period. None of us can do it by ourselves. It is not good that man should be alone. We need each other. Because of our strengths AND our weaknesses. You need my strength, right? And I need to give you my strength. It is such a good feeling when you can help somebody. Truly. When we see a need and can meet that need. It's almost like that's what we were made for (because, you know, that IS what we were made for!). We were created to be loved and to love each other. Not in spite of our differences but because of them. Not in spite of our weaknesses, but because of them. We need to start celebrating each other instead of trying to crush each other into the shapes that we think they should be in. It's not our goal to stamp out weakness. No matter how hard my math teachers tried... I just didn't get it. Numbers don't make sense to me. And then when you put letters in there too? Sheesh. I know that about myself. I accept that about myself. I'm not trying to be someone I'm not. But if I try to hide that weakness, if I get into a situation where I need to really do some math... it's over for me. So I try to make sure I don't get myself into that situation. If it's math related, I'm getting help. Period. I know my strengths, and I know my weaknesses. I'm not trying to be someone I'm not. I'm not trying to get in over my head. I'll ask for help. I think that's wisdom, not weakness. The weakness is in denying our weaknesses. Or trying to hide them. Pretend they don't exist. Pretend we can do it all on our own. We need to embrace ourselves for who we are. And embrace each other for who they are. If my strength fits into your weakness... that's one way we can connect with each other. That's one way that we can build, and strengthen our relationship. But only if we let that bond form. Only if we stop trying to pretend like we don't have any weaknesses!