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Strong Enough




 When I was a kid I thought that avoiding drunkenness, fornication and the evils of tobacco would nearly qualify me as sinless, get me a seat close to God, and make me the role model I yearned to be. Then I met Bill Dent. This bully of the schoolyard was several sizes bigger than I was and had a gravelly voice, the one he used when he planted his shoes in my lap and said, "Shine ´em." I hesitated, weighed my options--none good--and shined ´em. He sneered and laughed wickedly, leaving a humiliated me behind, angry at him and angrier at myself for being a weak coward.

I vowed to get him. I even checked out the Joe Weider ads in one of my comic books. I dreamed of muscles on muscles and squeezing Bill Dents head between bicep and forearm. I wrote to Joe who promised results in a few weeks. What I got from him was his too steep price and the realization that I would have to get the Bill Dents of this world in other ways.

I figured it out. I´d be smarter, faster, cuter, more talented, more popular or whatever I could do to "win." I developed a new and more dangerous source of power--pride. If I couldn´t be bigger and stronger, I would be

Pride is a double-edged word. It can be positive--caring for self, a desire to do well, to not give up. However, it can be negative--a desire to be above, not backing down, self-righteous, always comparing, "I did it my way."

It is this second type of pride that is deadly and Satanic. The book of Jude records the fall of Lucifer from angel of light to angel of darkness. Why? Pride. Genesis records the fall of man--"You can be like God." Why? Pride. The gospels record the fall of the Pharisees and Judas and the chastisement of Peter-- all because of pride. And were it not for God´s intervening grace it would have been the fall of me.

One night when I was in college, I was part of a friend´s wedding rehearsal. I tried to be my funny self and the center of attention and God decided to lower the boom on me. His conviction of my sinful, ugly pride was so heavy and painful that I forced myself to confess my selfish pride to each of the friends I was with. Not until I had spoken to the last guy did I feel the physical burden of sin rise up out of my body leaving me tearful, humbled and very relieved. Then I began to understand Jesus´ statement to Paul, "my strength is made perfect in your weakness."

I had to confess my weakness in order to survive and serve. I knew I could be nothing in God´s kingdom until I admitted and even embraced my weaknesses. It was at this point that he began to show me true strength.

God took my pride and replaced it with a desire for simplicity and honesty. I no longer feel the need to win at everything; at my age the limits are becoming clearer anyway. I am more frustrated now with having too much rather than too little, and I´ve learned through a variety of circumstances that life is fragile; there is so little I can control. I am nothing without Christ.

God must reduce all of us if we are ever to take our proper place in the Body of Christ. And when we take our place--doing our part while helping others to do their part--then and only then are we powerful. Then we are strong enough.

We can be proud or we can be powerful. We cannot be both. There is no place for selfish pride in God´s kingdom--none. His power is made perfect in weakness.

II Corinthians 12:7-10.



About the Author:


 Steve Graner is a Christian educator and familyman employed by the Minot, ND Public School District. A licensed laypastor, he is passionate about Christian writing and Christian drama. Along with family and friends, Steve has performed numerous self-written dramas and musicals for area church audiences.