Earlier today in my study of the Bible, I was reading from a book that was written by quite possibly the best author to ever walk the earth, and my second favorite Bible character (after Jesus): Paul.
The book I was reading from was none other than 1st Corinthians - or Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth. And the exact location of my reading was chapter 2, starting in verse 1.
(1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
It says, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling, My message and my preaching were with not wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."
- WOW!
Paul, over here - a feared man who once persecuted christians - is stating that HE, of all people, was TREMBLING WITH FEAR as he was speaking the word of God to the people of Corinth.
Paul - the same guy who penned most of the New Testament - was admitting that he he "did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom" (he may have even had a stuttering problem).
Paul - one of the most powerful writers of all time - stating that he was coming to them "in weakness".
AND YET HE STILL PREACHED THE GOSPEL!
Reading this I can't help but think these were LEGITIMATE excuses for Paul to sit at home and be lazy like everyone else! I mean, c'mon. The guy is weak. The guy is scared. The guy is even a poor speaker, for goodness sakes!! Why was God asking such an under qualified man to spread the gospel to thousands, if not literally millions of people? Or perhaps this raises an even better question:
Why is God asking ME to do the same thing?
Paul never denied the fact that he was scared, but he wasn't letting that fear stop him from advancing the gospel.
I can't help but ask myself how much longer I can sit back and watch the world go to hell because I have a few "legitimate excuses" that are keeping me from advancing the gospel.
I believe the reason God asked Paul is because not only was he willing to go, but I believe Paul had a COMPLETE grasp on what the gospel was really about: he "resolved to know nothing ... except Jesus Christ and him crucified", and in knowing this, he couldn't keep it to himself.
In conclusion, I have to ask myself, "Do I know Christ?" "Do I know him crucified?" And if so, why am I letting my weaknesses get in the way of God doing a work in me?
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