Weak & Worthless

One of the hardest stumbling blocks for a non-believer to convert to Christianity (at least it was for me anyway) was the idea of coming to the realization of who I was in a natural fallen state. Throughout my childhood, my siblings and I were given value and worth by our parents. They encouraged us to pursue our ambitions and afforded us the opportunity to pursue them. My father was an athlete, and my brothers were inspired to play sports. Growing up in the seventies, we weren’t distracted by cellphones and social media, so we were outside from dusk to dawn, with weekday practices and weekend games. We were taught toughness and strength both physically and mentally. These attributes I carry with me to this day (well, maybe not the same physical strength). I credit my parents for an amazing upbringing and modeled my own parenting after their example. They were exceptional parents, but what was missing was spirituality. It was this lacking that was the stumbling block to my own salvation. When I met Jennifer and I truly heard the Gospel for the first time, I was at first repulsed. It was in many ways antithetical to my upbringing. However, as Jennifer continued to share the Gospel and Christ and the need for Him became more real, I realized increasingly more that in the flesh I was worthless and weak. As Paul wrote in the book of Romans, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” In our fallen state as sinners, we are out of fellowship with God, condemned to a sinner’s eternity in Hell. The beautiful part is that it does not need to be our destiny. Through complete trust in Christ, we are made complete. As Paul further wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “Worthless and weak” are not attributes the world lifts up, yet it is that understanding that brings the humility that leads us to the cross. Are you ready?