2 Corinthians 12:8-9
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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.
A story is told of a very poor man who lived in ancient times. It was a time when powerful kings dominated all who lived in their kingdoms, and who also wielded the power of life and death. It was a time when many sons and many horses were a sign of wealth and prosperity.
This poor man had only one horse and one son. As he grew older, his son used the horse to plow the fields, to haul the produce to market, and to ride from place to place on various errands. People pitied the poor man and often made disparaging remarks about his poverty.
Things went from bad to worse one day when his son was returning from the villageand was thrown off the horse to the ground, breaking the boy’s leg. The people clucked their tongues and wondered what evil thing this poor man had done to have such bad fortune to befall him. He would just smile and reply, “The Lord knows what I need. I will trust Him to give me what He wants me to have.”
Not long after the son’s accident, the king sent messengers to each village and demanded that every able-bodied young man report for battle immediately. The only one in this age group who was not conscripted was the poor man’s injured son. In a short time the sad news was relayed to the village that the battle had gone very wrong and all of the young men had died in the fray. Now the man who had once been pitied was considered to be the one who was blessed.
—Pastor Cecil