2 Corinthians 12.7-9 7”…or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” – St. Paul
I think it takes a pretty big man to admit what Paul admitted: Therefore, to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. The imminent apostle was given a babysitter to keep him from boasting about what he’d seen and heard. Hmmm…
I have no idea what Paul meant by “a thorn in my flesh” but it doesn’t sound pleasant. I’ve never been to Palestine, but I’ve been to East Africa and the thorns there are prodigious and plentiful. And they look very painful. Jesus got a crown of thorns in mockery; Paul got a thorn in the flesh to protect him.
Tools serve a purpose, and Paul’s thorn was a tool administered by God who called Paul to a greater destiny than an evangelistic circus side-show. God called Paul to celebrate His grace and sufficiency. God called Paul to glory in his weakness so that Jesus’ divine power would rest upon him. The power of God only rests on the weak and humble. The power of God finds no home in the arrogant and proud.
It is so counter to our world full of victims and victimization. We strive to be big but we are so small. We believe we are entitled but we are so fooled. We act as if we deserve the thorns of Satan as some kind of merit-badge. Paul wasn’t so callous; Paul knew they served their purpose to keep him from doing harm to himself. Many would choose to win the lottery with its millions not realizing that along with millions of reasons for wanting to win, are millions of reasons that winning for most, would be disastrous.
So, for Paul, the apostle we think so highly of, was
given a babysitter of sorts to keep him from driving the bus off the cliff.
Paul didn’t deserve, but he desperately needed a thorn to keep him from doing damage
to himself and others. Call it a guardrail
to keep him on the road of God’s choosing.
God knows how and when and why to use tools in our lives. The thorn was one tool for Paul; grace was the other. Funny what five-letter words can convey: thorn. grace. faith. peace. trust. God knows what He is doing, and what it takes in our lives to care for us and protect us. We are greater than the animals but we do need husbandry to keep us from the horrors of self. God is the Expert in human-husbandry.
Father, like my older brother Paul was hinting, I too need human-husbandry; I need Your hand upon my life and circumstances to keep me from doing and saying things that will hurt me and hurt others. Like Paul, I too am Your son and servant, and I thank You that You are in control of the things in my life that keep me from unspeakable harm.
Have Thine own way Lord, have Thine own way.
Thou art the Potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will.
While I am waiting, yielded and still. Amen
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