Two Sides of the Same Coin

 Continuing a Series on “Living by Faith”
 (Use the link below to read the verses.)
Judges 14:1-20; Hebrews 11:32

[Hebrews 11 is a recounting of the Heroes of the Faith. Each person is commended for living “by faith”. Following these commendations we read, “Therefore, because you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… throw off sin; run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus”. In other words, continue to live “by faith”.]

 

There’s an old saying that goes “two sides of the same coin”. It’s a short way of saying that even though heads and tails are totally different, they’re a part of one in the same coin. This can also be a metaphor of our life.

 

For instance, growing up, I knew that my Dad loved me; I just couldn’t feel it. He wasn’t good at showing his affection or verbalizing his love. He also didn’t appear to have time for me; to play catch or shoot baskets. And when he was angry with me, it felt like I had disappointed him to the point that he could never love me.

 

As a young adult, that perception of not feeling loved by my Dad, was a major motivation for leading me into a twenty-five year career in urban youth ministry. On one side of the coin, was the feeling of not being loved by my earthly Father. On the other side, was my desire to show the love of my Heavenly Father. Two sides of the same coin.

 

The Lord has a way of doing the same thing; of taking the duality of an ordinary person to do something extraordinary. Take Samson for instance. Despite all of his shortcomings, failures and weaknesses, he was a part of the Lord’s plan. In Judges 14, Samson has set his eyes and desires on a Philistine woman, much to the consternation of his parents.

 

³ His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” ⁴ His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time.    NLT

 

The Lord seems to revel in taking a person with a significant weakness, and doing something amazing. This is a pattern throughout Scripture! While the world steps on weakness, making it shameful; the Lord holds it up, making it a tool of sanctification and redemption.

 

Perhaps Paul said it best in 2 Corinthians 12.

 

⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.          NIV

 

…Two sides of the same coin.