Do You Know What the Sign of Genuine Strength Is?
Photo by Julie Ricard on Unsplash
How’s Your Strength?
People toss a myriad of cliches about when difficult times come. There’s the famous British saying—Keep Calm and Carry (or Chive) On. And how about the classic American expression—When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
But when a crisis hits, especially a life-threatening one, cliches are like chaff in the wind. They have no substance or weight. Action, not words, is needed. As Proverbs 24:10 says—If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! (Prov. 24:10 NIV)
People of character rise to the occasion during a crisis. They’re able to meet challenges beyond their control because they don’t trust in circumstances. Their trust is anchored much deeper.
Those with strong character are not centered on themselves in times of crisis, because they don’t trust in themselves. Their world is greater than themselves.
When our life and world revolve around ourselves, it leaves us unprepared to handle the change and interruption of a crisis—whether small or great. A self-absorbed and self-focused life insulates us from others. This isolation is unhealthy and drives us towards indifference—an apathetic attitude toward others.
Left unchecked, indifference leads to a hardness of heart, which weakens our character. If we want to be strong in the face of a crisis, we need to guard against indifference and hardness in our hearts.
Those who don’t faint in a crisis are more concerned for others than themselves. As is often said, “It’s not about you!” Each of us is responsible for being considerate and caring for others—showing mercy and grace toward people we encounter daily.
Take a look at the following verses in Proverbs 24. They remind us that the world is much larger than us, but not separate from us.
Scripture
If you faint in a crisis, you are weak.
Rescue captives condemned to death,
and spare those staggering toward their slaughter.
When you say, “We didn’t know this,”
won’t the one who weighs hearts take note of it?
Won’t the one who guards your soul know it?
Won’t he pay back people for what they do? (Proverbs 24:10-12 GW)
(Context—Proverbs 24:1-22 GW)
Simple insights
When we get our eyes off ourselves and become aware of the needs and challenges other people face, it helps put our own concerns into perspective. When I think of rescuing captives (verse 11), it brings many people into view with vastly greater needs than my own.
Many women and children are trapped in the inescapable maze of human trafficking. Unless we or others intervene, they are condemned to a living hell—even death at the hands of merciless captors. It’s not just a global problem but a much more local one.
They need mercy. They cry out for mercy. They need to be rescued.
Millions of people suffer under oppressive and repressive governments or live as refugees who fled savage warfare into an indefinite life stranded between danger and uncertainty. Their plight is through no fault of their own and beyond their control or power.
Thousands of people are trapped in addiction or in bondage to something too powerful for them to overcome on their own. They need merciful and gracious intervention—just as the Lord showed us and as Jesus said, Be merciful as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36 GW)
They need a hand of grace extended to them.
If we say, “We didn’t know this,” or “It’s not my problem…I’ve got my own problems”—it does not excuse us. We can’t just look the other way. Note the triple emphasis of responsibility expressed in verse 12—
Won’t the one who weighs hearts take note of it? Won’t the one who guards your soul know it? Won’t he pay back people for what they do?
This is the heart of what Jesus spoke of in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-9) and His Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:27-37). If we are Christian believers—those who trust in the Lord Jesus as our Savior—we are called to be like Him in our relationship with people we encounter in life, especially when we are aware of their needs.
We are to be salt and light in the world (Matt 5:13-16), an extension of His heart of compassion, grace, and love to those around us, just as the psalmist reminds us of the Lord’s eternal nature—
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8 NIV)
Reflection—
When we get our eyes off ourselves and become aware of other people's needs and challenges, it helps put our concerns into perspective. Each of us is responsible for being considerate and caring for others—to show mercy and grace towards people we encounter in daily life.
Prayer Focus—
When you find yourself wrapped up in your own concerns or worries, ask God to help you look beyond yourself. Ask the Lord to fill you with His compassion and love—His mercy and grace—towards people in your circle of life and beyond.
If you’d like to help extend mercy and grace—
To help those trapped as victims of human oppression and trafficking— here are 4 organizations to consider—
FAAST—Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking
Graceful Warrior Project (I know the founder of this ministry)
To help people under oppressive and repressive regimes, as well as refugees— you can contact my friend Mike Parks with Frontier Partners International or click on this link—Refugee Families in Lebanon / in Iraq
Would you like a free study guide for Proverbs?
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