“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2Co 12:7 AV)
It is interesting Paul starts and ends this verse the same way. He makes it a point to admit he had a problem with pride and the only way the LORD could deal with it was to give him a handicap. Many believe Paul was partially blind. In this verse, he tells us the abundance of revelation was the source of his exaltation above measure. Perhaps Paul realized the LORD was using him to write the majority of the New Testament and that began to play on his heart. Paul mentions the book of Galatians was a large letter when indeed it was one of his smaller books. Some suppose he meant the actual letters of the letter being large as an indication he might have been losing his eyesight. This would be a hard thing to lose. Especially considering his ministry. He was a writer and a church planter. He needed his eyesight to write. More importantly, he needed his eyesight for discernment. Reading body language is important to a preacher. Reading the honesty or dishonesty behind the words of a conversation goes a long way in reaching that soul for the glory of God. Losing his eyesight was a big deal. It would forever altar, in some way, his future ministry.
We all have our handicaps. Some have hearing problems. Some have vision problems. Some have digestive difficulties. Others have nervous system problems. Still others, bone issues. Then there are family problems, a deficit of talent or intelligence, car problems, or money problems. We all have our things. They keep us humble. They keep us from thinking more highly than we ought to think. Just about the time you think you have it all together, the thorn in the flesh rears its ugly head. We think we are completely independent and then we forget our keys, bump into a glass door (yes, I have done that), or commit to something because we heard it wrong. As you age, the medical profession pokes and prods you, runs all sorts of tests, and pretty much examines you every way but Sunday. Modesty goes right out the door. Several years back, I had a growth on my arm that looked cancerous. I made an appointment with a dermatologist to have it removed. In walked the PA who wanted to do a thorough exam. Do you know what that means? To add insult to injury, the PA was a female. Not a comfortable position to be in. There was my first colonoscopy. Modesty is not remotely considered. As you age, you learn humility in ways you never imagined. In a lot of ways, this is a good thing.
The key is in how we respond. Paul obviously did not welcome his thorn the first time around. He didn’t even welcome it the second our third time around. Once God told Paul it was something he would have to live with, he understood the purpose of it and appreciated the thorn for what it was. The thorn was meant to keep Paul humble. And it was a good thing, too. Some suppose this thorn was somewhere in the middle of his life. This means he was able to do for the LORD as much with the thorn as without it. The difference was his humility. Prior, he accomplished what he did with the temptation of pride as a possibility. The thorn in the flesh lent credibility and compassion to his ministry which he may have lost otherwise. It is interesting how Paul ends this letter. He states he wrote it rather than come and deal with the church personally because in writing it, he was more tactful and compassionate than he would have been in person. Mission accomplished. The thorn in the flesh kept Paul humble and made him a more effective servant for the glory of God.
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