Meron isang tanyag na lalaki, si Pablo Casals who is considered by many as the greatest cello player of all time. At twelve years old he started playing the cello and even age eighty-five years old, he still practicing every single day for five hours! He was asked why he is doing that despite his old age. He said: “I think I am getting better.”

Are you getting better? Are you willing to improve?

I once read a saying: “Once you know your weakness, it stops to do us any harm.” I respectfully disagree on this principle because for me it is not enough to just know a weakness as I believe that more importantly is to do something and improve on it.

Everyone has a weak side but if we don’t learn to improve or deal with it, that weakness can destroy us. Judas weakness was that thirty pieces of silver and he betrayed Jesus. He committed suicide in the process. His greediness to few coins took his life and he never enjoyed it anyway.

There was this story in the Bible about King Saul whom God commanded to kill all Amalekites.

In first Samuel chapter fifteen: Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey…But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good…'”

Ang sabi ng Lord wala dapat siyang ititira, patayin lahat. Pero hindi ginawa ni Saul. Nanghinayang siya na gawin ang utos ng Diyos. May itinira siyang Amalekite.

It is interesting to note that on the Second Samuel chapter one ay sinasabi: “And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite… I stood beside him and killed him…” 

Yung kahinaan ni Saul na buhayin ang isang Amalekite na si Agag ay nanganak at siyang pumatay din kay Saul. Ang kahinaan niya ang pumatay sa kanya.

Ganoon din sa buhay ni Samson. He was destined to become the strongest man ever lived. But his weakness was Delilah who sold him to the Palestine, took his eyes off and made him blind until his dying moment.

Which part is your weak point? What is your Delilah? Ask God to overcome and obey His command. Weakness destroys reputations, ruins relationships and family life, wastes wealth…one weakness can sometimes be the reason why a strong empire fall. Maraming mga tanyag na tao at tinitingala ng madla ang nasira dahil sa kanilang mga kahinaan. They failed miserably and all they have built for in their entire lives plummeted and went to nothing. Some of them left the country or committed suicide due to shame and discrimination.

There was a story about the Great Wall Of China where it was designed so high up that there is no way the enemy can conquer it. It was heavily fortified with big stones and guarded twenty-four hours a day. But the weakness of the Gate Keepers is bribery and money. The enemy made an agreement to these conniving gate soldiers and soon the Great Wall Of China was conquered by the invaders.

I encourage you today, whatever our weakness is, God is saying: “Come unto me…those who are weary…I will give you rest.” He also said, “Call upon me and I will answer…” Don’t let your weakness become your stumbling block but may it be a stepping stone to achieve your greatness.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I am human and I make mistakes. Help me to overcome my weaknesses so it may not destroy me but I ask your mercy to empower me so the world will know that I am your child and your name is glorified. Help me to know where I need to work on and help me to improve daily for your glory. I repent of my sins and wrong intentions. Come into my heart, Jesus. Change me for your honor.  Amen.