Different and Better - Tuesday
TODAY’S VERSE
Mark 3:5b
[Jesus] said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. (NIV)
I’m a pretty major introvert. God calling someone like me into ministry is one reason I am convinced He has a sense of humor. I’m not particularly good in groups, and I’m usually pretty awkward in one-on-one situations. I really am a textbook example of God taking weaknesses and using them for His strength.
Because of that, there’s a very specific group of people I feel comfortable with and naturally gravitate toward. If you see me on a Sunday morning, chances are that’s where you’ll find me. It’s a place called Southland Special Needs.
There are very few places I’d rather be on a Sunday morning than in our Special Needs environments. These rooms are filled with living, breathing examples of Jesus turning stigma into strength. One of my friends in this ministry is Jonathan. If you attend the Lexington campus, you’ve seen him. He’s the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Southland,” and honestly, he does a pretty great job at it.
I don’t know all of Jonathan’s challenges, but one of them is speaking his thoughts clearly. For many people, that might cause them to avoid conversations altogether, but not Jonathan. His favorite thing to do at church is talk to people. In fact, that’s pretty much all he does on Sundays. He carries a big smile and brings joy to everyone he meets. God has taken what some might call a “stigma” and turned it into a strength. When I’m having a rough morning, I know I can find Jonathan, and his joy has a way of making its way into my heart.
Not all of us have weaknesses that are as visible as Jonathan’s, but we all have them. God is in the business of taking our weaknesses and turning them into His strength. Often, He uses them to reveal Jesus’s love and forgiveness to others—and to ourselves.
APPLICATION
Jesus didn’t heal the man’s hand until he stretched it out—the very thing that felt exposed and vulnerable. This week, instead of hiding your weakness, intentionally offer it to God. That might mean:
Speaking up even when you feel awkward
Serving in an area where you don’t feel “qualified”
Being honest about a struggle instead of pretending you’re fine
PRAYER
Invite God to reshape how you see strength. Ask Him to help you recognize His power at work in what the world might call weakness. Pray for eyes to notice those who are often overlooked, and a heart that is open to learning from them.