Left-Handed Perfection: Why God Wants to Use Us at Our Point of Greatest Weakness
MARK BATTERSON
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“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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
I’m fascinated by an ancient group of archers from a tribe known as the Benjamites. Their ambidextrous ability to shoot arrows and sling stones sounds like it’s right out of a Marvel movie: “All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin” (1 Chronicles 12:2, NLT).
It’s safe to assume the Benjamites were not born this way, because only 1% of the general population is born ambidextrous. In other words, this was nurture over nature. This was not an innate talent. It was a hard-earned skill set.
There are several famous Benjamites in the Bible, King Saul and the Apostle Paul among them. Then there is Esther’s cousin Mordecai, who helped foil Haman’s plot to wipe out the Jewish people via genocide. So the tribe of Benjamin has its fair share of heroes, but their ancestral hero is a judge named Ehud.
Years before the Benjamites were known for their ambidextrous qualities, Ehud delivered Israel — with his left hand.
In Judges, we read, “But when the Israelites cried to the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man … ” (Judges 3:15, AMPC). Ehud is one of the most significant southpaws, or lefthanders, in Scripture. So what does that have to do with the ambidexterity of the Benjamites?
Ehud’s left-handed victory became the Benjamites’ signature story, buried deep within their collective consciousness. It was their rallying cry, like “Remember the Alamo!” Cultivating weak-hand skills was their unique way of honoring Ehud. Ambidexterity was a tip of the cap to the judge who delivered Israel with his left hand.
Most of us tend to ignore our nondominant hands. Why bother when using our strong hands is so much easier, so much better? We let our weak hands atrophy. But how you handle your weak hand affects more than your present task; it affects the next generation. Ehud didn’t just deliver the Israelites from the Moabites; he inspired generations of Benjamites. His bravery wasn’t just their breakthrough; it became their signature story.
God wants to use you at your point of greatest giftedness. That’s a given. He is the one who gave you those gifts in the first place. But God also wants to use you at your point of greatest weakness. Why? Because that is where His power is made perfect as 2 Corinthians 12:9 says: “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.”
When we’re feeling particularly weak and weary, we sometimes assume God can’t use us until we’re feeling strong again. But what if this moment of weakness is when God most wants to shine His light, show His power and surround you with His strength? The result might affect generations to come.
Heavenly Father, use me now, even at my point of greatest weakness. May Your power be made perfect in that weakness so others will not see me, but You instead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 40:29, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (NIV)
Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Seventy-five percent of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first month. Why? Because when you think in one-year timelines, the finish line is so far away that you can’t even see it. You’d gain a lot more ground if you focused on the right daily habits rather than yearly goals.
In Mark Batterson’s new book, Win the Day, you can learn to stress less and accomplish by focusing on these seven daily habits:
- Flip the Script: If you want to change your life, start by changing your story.
- Kiss the Wave: The obstacle is not the enemy; the obstacle is the way.
- Eat the Frog: If you want God to do the super, you’ve got to do the natural.
- Fly the Kite: How you do anything is how you’ll do everything.
- Cut the Rope: Playing it safe is risky.
- Wind the Clock: Time is measured in minutes; life is measured in moments.
- Seed the Clouds: Sow today what you want to see tomorrow.
Learn more at MarkBatterson.com/WinTheDay.
CONNECT:
Mark would like to invite you to receive further encouragement through his weekly devotional newsletter. Subscribe at MarkBatterson.com/Devotionals. You can also find Mark on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @MarkBatterson.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Win the Day by Mark Batterson. To celebrate this book, Mark’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, January 18, 2021.
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What weakness feels especially dominant in your life today? How might God want to use that weakness to encourage you as well as inspire others?
Join the conversation in the comments today and be encouraged.
© 2021 by Mark Batterson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks WaterBrook & Multnomah for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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Originally published Wednesday, 13 January 2021.
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