The Sign of Strength

Romans 15:1

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

One of the great characteristics of strong leadership is its ability to use weaker people to do great things without exploiting their weaknesses. Every great leader I have been around had the ability to put up with the weaknesses of their followers, and often their followers look like great people, when in reality it is the strength of the leader bearing the infirmities of the weak that makes the follower look strong.

One of the great leaders I worked under was Dr. Jack Hyles. Brother Hyles was such a leader that he surrounded himself with weaker people, but was able to pull the gold out of them to make them look strong. Together, Brother Hyles and those around him were able to build a great work because he had the ability to bear the infirmities of the weak.

Look at the leadership of Moses. Moses was surrounded by many weaker people. Aaron was not a strong leader. In fact, it was Aaron who was responsible for allowing Israel to dance around a golden calf, while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the commandments from God. The strength of Moses was that he was able to bear the infirmities of the weak, and together they were able to go through the wilderness victoriously.

I look at our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who was surrounded by weak people. Let's face it, when Jesus called the twelve disciples, they were very weak people; however, Jesus was able to bear the infirmities of the weak, which allowed Him to build a great ministry in three years. It was Jesus' ability to bear the infirmities of the weak that strengthened those disciples so that after He was gone, they went and turned the world upside down for Christ.

One of the greatest signs of strength is how well you bear the infirmities of the weak. The word means to carry, support, prop up, absorb, nurture, tolerate, or put up with without destroying them. What you will find about great leaders is that they are strong enough to bear the infirmities of the weak, so that they can accomplish the great work that God has given them to do. Great leaders support those who are weaker so that they can continue the work that God has called them to do. Great leaders will absorb, or take the blame, for the mistakes that weaker people make so that the weaker person is not destroyed, and so that the work of God will continue to go forward. Great leaders will nurture and tolerate the weaknesses of people so that together they can do a great work for God. Great leaders realize that it is not worth destroying the weaker person because there is a cause much greater to be accomplished that they can do with weaker people.

The key to this whole principle is found in one phrase: and not to please ourselves. If you allow the frustration of weakness to cause you to attack them, you will never be able to bear the infirmities of the weak, which will keep you from doing a great work for God. My friend, you ought to be a person who pulls the gold out of weaker people, for it is this type of person that God can use to do great works for Him. If you always point out the flaws of people, you will never be able to bear the infirmities of the weak, which will keep you from doing the great work God intends for you and the weaker people to do together.