“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” Paul’s powerful statement about boasting in weakness comes as a response to those that would challenge his motives and his authority as an Apostle of the Gospel. In response to this challenge to his authority, Paul takes a curious line of “attack.” He gives a list of all the times that he suffered for the Gospel. Paul’s authority and credibility to preach the Gospel does not pass by way of his strength, but by way of his suffering. His gospel passport has been stamped by the times and places where his love of Christ and others brought him ill repute.
This is even more surprising given that Paul had human gifts and accomplishments that he could have bragged with to his flowerers and opponents. His choice then, to brag of his weakness over his strengths, must not only be intentional, but must have been learned by Paul as a pathway of imitation. Paul’s teacher was the crucified Christ and the cross. Paul, having come to see Christ on the cross as the hallmark of love and the means of his own salvation, now shares his own sufferings and weaknesses as the authentic proof of his love for Christ and Christ’s church.
In the model of Paul, let us pray about what we ought to brag about in our ministry for Christ? Where has Christ manifested his love for us in our weaknesses and how has our love been purified in our sufferings?