Negotiations

Life flows along, until conditions change or someone blows the whistle for a timeout and revaluation. Perhaps a world event arises like a pandemic. Perhaps it’s a diagnosis, job loss, financial crisis, or relationship breakdown. Someone, for some reason, wants a change in rules to improve their situation. In business, we call this crisis management. CEOs may decide to file for bankruptcy and reorganize. In marriage, we call this separation. Maybe a spouse walks away for a time to ponder what he really wants in life.

In such cases, someone is unhappy with the current arrangements. Yes, mid-course corrections are part of living. Certainly resilience involves flexibility, adaptability, and perseverance. Whenever negotiators discuss new terms, they prefer to work from strength and greater leverage. One of the parties may suffer loss or setbacks. Few of us want to negotiate from a position of weakness.

God takes an entirely incomprehensible position in negotiations with us. He recognizes that we are not worthy rivals at the table. We are impotent paupers. We have nothing to win God over to our way of thinking, to spare us, or to help us out of our dire circumstances.

God recognizes we are sinners; we are flawed individuals. Incredibly, God chooses us anyway. Amazingly, God loves us anyway. Unbelievably, God offers us help and hope at the negotiations' table. God provides the costly solution; He shares with us his righteousness and victory over death. Christ died for our sins, redeemed us, and grants us new standing. We become new creatures in Christ with a fresh start. We enjoy new and improved terms, based on no assets nor strengths of our own. God’s strength is made visible in our weakness.

“’My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Cor. 12:9

Give Thanks.