I recently shared this quote on Facebook: “Our calling,
however, is often shaped as much by our weaknesses as by our strengths. We tend
to run with our strengths and avoid those people and tasks that expose our
weaknesses. But the story of God is not a saga of human potential; it is the
revelation of the kindness and passion of the Father who seeks and redeems
sinners. Therefore, our strengths may help us with certain tasks and opportunities,
but it is our frailty and sin that make known the glory of God’s story” (Dan
Allender, Leading with a Limp, 149-150).
One of the points
that Allender makes is that leaders tend to hide their weaknesses in order to project
a certain image, but weaknesses have a way of coming out. Though he doesn’t say
this directly, I’ve observed that times of organizational transition reveal the
weaknesses of all those in leadership more so than their strengths. When the
organization is operating normally, everyone plays to their strengths and keeps
their weaknesses hidden behind the facade of competency. But when change comes,
many people are forced out of their comfort zones. Pride and a sense of
entitlement emerge. Fear of loss and distrust of management creep out of the
woodwork. The mistakes that have been made become more obvious and get
rehashed. Decisions that were previously put off reach crisis mode.
Allender writes: “What is most obvious to others are our
most common ways of failing to love—the unique style that rises to the surface
during times of shame, hurt, fear, or criticism” (174). As with the rest of
life, it’s often easier to see and criticize the faults of others than to deal
with our own (Matthew 7:3-5).
Two questions come to mind:
1) Are we going to own up to our weaknesses as leaders,
churches, and organizations? The answer to that question assumes that we
actually know and understand what those weaknesses are. The discovery process
may be a painful one. The criticism that the church is full of hypocrites comes
because we aren’t willing to live authentically in our weakness.
2) Once the time of transition passes, are we each going to
go back behind the facade of strength or will we embrace our weaknesses as a
path for God’s strength to be revealed? Trusting, loving relationships require ongoing
honesty. Working together effectively as the Body of Christ depends on knowing
one another’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (ESV): “For
consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly
standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose
what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the
world to shame the strong.” The standard of the world is to focus on strengths,
regardless of what God may want to do through our weaknesses. “God, however,
loves to use our strengths to get us into situations where our weaknesses are
exposed and used for his glory” (187). God doesn’t intend for us to live
entirely in our own strength, because that doesn’t bring Him glory.
Our weakness is the playing field for His strength to be revealed.
Our weakness is the playing field for His strength to be revealed.
“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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2
Corinthians 12:9-10).
© 2015 Dawn Rutan
