For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 1Corinthians 2:2-3
Unlike Gideon who had no successes in his life before the call of God, Paul used to be a very strong and determined man prior to knowing Christ. Paul was a successful and accomplished man as a Jewish religious leader. However, when he came to know Jesus, he found that all his natural strength and determination did not produce life. He actually found himself bankrupt in many ways, because his courage, and zeal had caused much pain for him and for the people of God.
Paul had come to an understanding of his true condition without Christ. He wasn’t proud of a boldness that made him a hypocritical Pharisee and ordered persecution of God’s people. As a transformed man, he was willing to give up his strength. He chose weakness, so God’s power can rest on him.
Paul tells us that he came in trembling before the people. That’s an important statement. There are many who think they need to be strong, confident, and bold if they are going to minister and preach to people. That was not Paul’s testimony. He had a trembling that feared God in ministering to people. In the past when he ministered to people as a Pharisee, he modeled intolerance, and encouraged persecution of true believers. He didn’t want to get this wrong again.
When we are ministering to people, are we coming in trembling? Do we model the right attitude and behavior before people? Do we fear God in the counsel we provide for individuals? Do we have a heart for reconciliation in the advise we give others for their troubled relationships? Do we restrain ourselves from being the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives? Are we able to just share in humility what we have to offer and give them room to seek the Lord’s will?
Paul’s failures had taught him not to trust in his own strength anymore. He now was a humble and soft man. Hopefully the same is true for us. If we’ve had a failed marriage, broken relationship with a child, or a failed business, we approach things with greater humility. We don’t claim we have all the answers. We become less dogmatic in our stance. We’re more understanding of those who don’t get it right. We are more patient with God’s process in others’ lives because we remember He was patient with us.
Paul had resolved to know nothing except Jesus and him crucified. He had determined Jesus is the answer to everything in life and unless He gave Him revelation knowledge and wisdom, he didn’t know anything. He found being in a place of weakness was truly a place of strength in Jesus! The same is true for us. When we are willing to surrender our intelligent minds, our strong emotions, our sharp tongues, and our feisty will, we will gain Christ! Our natural strength has to continually be given over to death, so the life of Christ and His strength can be perfected in us.
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