David Bahn – Reflections

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. ¹³ You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, ¹⁴ and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. ¹⁸ It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, ¹⁹ my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰ I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

I love the Skit Guys. I love them mostly when they are funny. Often their humor has a way of sneaking behind our defenses and catching us by surprise. Think of Nathan confronting David about his sin with Bathsheba. Nathan tells David a story about a rich man who took a poor man’s only lamb to prepare a meal, despite having many sheep of his own. David is enraged as he hears about this only to be told by Nathan, “You are the man!” It was an uh-oh moment in David’s life. 

In the Skit Guys God’s Chisel video, however, there is little humor. There is a conversation between God and a Christian man who is being shaped by God into a beautiful masterpiece. God shapes us through all kinds of experiences, pains, heartbreaks, and and joys. The Skit Guys video focuses on one particular way: chipping away at character flaws and personal idols.

It’s not clear that Paul is referring to this kind of shaping when he says, “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” But it is clear that Paul had experienced some physical bodily ailment that had directed him to bring the message of Jesus to them.

Somehow that bodily ailment brought Paul to Galatia. It could well be that Paul is referring to the thorn in the flesh he mentions in 1 Corinthians 12. It could likely also refer to Paul’s vision issues. He says, after all, “For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.” Was this a lasting effect of having been struck blind on the road to Damascus? 

Whatever the case Paul refers to his physical suffering as the means by which the Gospel was brought to the Galatians. God uses human weakness to display His strength and advance His purposes.

Most of us would rather have it all together, believing we must have no flaws if we are to share the message of Jesus. But the message of Jesus is shared by messy people. We who are broken and are not afraid to admit it can testify to God’s grace and power – a far better focus for others’ faith than the life of even the most sanctified believer.