9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
In order for us to experience the power of the Lord, it's important that we humble ourselves and admit our inferior abilities, in comparison to the unlimited resources of God Almighty. Paul, even though he had some amazing experiences with God, had a thorn in the flesh, and that was a reminder of his humanity, his frailty. We can accomplish much in the power of the flesh, but those achievements will pass away; truly lasting accomplishments in the sight of eternity come in relation to the life of Christ, expressing His power through us.
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Even the strongest, most accomplished, most determined individual has to recognize that human strength pales in comparison to the strength of the Lord. In Joshua 1, we see where God spoke to the new leader of Israel, saying:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
The annual circus known as SEC Media Days is taking place this week in Hoover, and in the midst of the speculation for the upcoming college football season, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey took a moment in his opening address to honor the late former University of Tennessee head women's basketball coach, Pat Summitt. According to the Knoxville News-Sentinel:
"Pat was a pillar of the Southeastern Conference," Sankey said. "She's on par with many of the great names, may have set the standard for all of the great names that are part of this conference. Her impact is felt every day in the lives of the young people she's mentored. Their ongoing success is living proof of Pat's influence and the truly positive impact of intercollegiate athletics."He also said, "Pat may be the best example of having graduated every student-athlete, having sought and tried and competed to win every championship, and using the intercollegiate athletics platform to change the world."
High praise indeed. But, there's something about Pat Summitt that maybe you haven't heard, and Terry Mattingly of GetReligion.org takes the media to task for missing it. He quotes from a Baptist Press story that stated:
Summitt, coach of the University of Tennessee women's basketball team from 1974-2012, was a member of Faith Promise Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Knoxville, Tenn. Her pastor, Chris Stephens, told Knoxville's NewsTalk 98.7 June 27 she would "probably pass into heaven in the next few days."
Stephens led listeners in prayer during a five-minute interview, praying, "I knew her as one of Your followers. She brought so many people to church, and there was such a side of Pat that so many did not get to see and know, but I did."
Summitt and her son Tyler were baptized together in 2012, a "special moment they shared that outshines all the others," according to a statement from the Pat Summitt Foundation.Mattingly writes, "Wait a minute. This religious detail was actually in the official obituary prepared by Summitt's own organization, on behalf of her family? It was right there on the website?"
Yes, the site reads:
She was most proud of one special moment they shared that outshines all the others. On May 5, 2012, Pat and Tyler were baptized together. On this day, they decided together to go public with their faith and professed their love for and acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. On this day, they created the ultimate and eternal memory, together.Mattingly puts this event in context:
It was on On May 5, 2012, during the most tumultuous year of Summitt's life – following her stunning August, 2011, announcement that she was suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. The baptism was less than a month after he announced her resignation as coach of the Lady Vols. This also came several years after her divorce, after 27 years of marriage.
Clearly this act meant something crucial to Summitt. It was a statement, in part, linked to what she was going to do next – lead a public fight against Alzheimer's, as long as she could. There would, in her words, be "no pity party" for Summitt.Man - this is truly amazing, and meaningful for me, a UT graduate. As Commissioner Sankey said, she was a pillar of the SEC and used the platform of intercollegiate athletics to change the world. Her Foundation's website says one moment with her son outshines all the others - get this, all the others - that is, her baptism. You could say that refers to a shared moment with her son. But, I would take some latitude here and say that moment truly outshines all the others in her life, because the decision to follow Christ is the most important you could ever make. More important than the victories on the court, the relentless fight for the legitimacy of women's basketball, the 100% graduation rate, the character that she built into the lives of her players!
It was late in life when Pat Summitt made that public profession. And, it was apparently a meaningful accomplishment; but not really her accomplishment, but what God accomplished in her heart through Jesus Christ. So, not only can Pat Summitt teach us about determination, character, and so many other excellent traits, but she can remind us it's never too late...never too late to make that decision to follow Christ. Never too late to dedicate your life more fully to Christ.
The woman who just yesterday was called a "pillar" made the decision that she needed a pillar for her life, and she turned to the Lord. Even the most accomplished person can come to a point of humility. We can rest on our laurels and relish what we have done in our own strength, but ultimately, we can rest on the Lord and recognize each day that we need His strength. That can be hard for humans, because we can be given to strong-willedness. But, Jesus wants to be our rock of refuge, our source of strength.
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