Who Is Equal?

I usually read whatever I’m going to read in the Bible about 3 to 8 times, over and over, asking, “What does this say?” and “God, what do you want to specifically say to me from this?” So today when I read today’s reading (2 Corinthians 2) it’s easy to focus on Paul’s heart of compassion, and how even when he had to be tough with people, it was driven by compassion.

But I kept noticing this one little sentence. Paul begins talking about our task of representing God and sharing the message of Jesus, and then he says, “And who is equal to such a task?” And every time I felt like, “Thanks for saying that Paul.” Because with starting a church here for the Vegas Strip and thinking, “How will we get noticed?” and “How will we convince people who are steeped in the culture of sin city that there’s something better?” and “How will we get people to turn to Jesus?” And, if I’m being honest, the question I would ask after all those is, “Who is equal to such a task?” And my answer would be, “I don’t know. But certainly not me.”

The good news is that I don’t need to be. Paul doesn’t answer his question until the next chapter, but when he does his answer is: We have confidence through Christ. Our competence comes from God. Our ministry is of the Spirit, not human effort. And thank God for that!

So whatever it is you’ve been struggling with, whatever challenge you don’t feel up to – that’s not a problem, because it’s not about you. God wants to use you, and if you’ll just say yes to being a tool in His hands, whatever it is, it can happen. And then some.