Dagstuk | Maandag 8 Julie 2024

Teks 2 Korintiers 12:9-10

Sy antwoord was: “My genade is vir jou genoeg. My krag kom juis tot volle werking wanneer jy swak is.” Daarom sal ek baie liewer oor my swakhede roem, sodat die krag van Christus my beskutting kan wees. ₁₀Daarom is ek bly oor swakhede, beledigings, ontberings, vervolging en moeilikhede ter wille van Christus, want as ek swak is, is ek sterk.

Paulus skryf baie eerlik dat hy in sy lewe geleer het om nie skaam te wees oor sy neerlae en swakhede nie, maar daarin te roem as ‘n nederige plek waarop God sy groot werk in sy lewe kan uitvoer. Ek dink hy herinner ons aan een van die groot waarhede van die lewe: dat neerlae ‘n belangrike leerskool op die pad navolwassenheid is. Dit is vir baie van ons ‘n baie moeilike ding om te aanvaar maar wanneer ’n mens terug kyk oor jou eie lewe herken ons iets van hierdie waarheid in ons eie lewens.  Daar mense wat dit reg kry om hulle neerlae of terugslae in die lewe om te keer tot iets positiefs – dit selfs te bevriend en as gawe te vier.

Ek lees graag in refleksie op Paulus se woorde, die gedig”Defeat” wat geskryf is deur die bekende Libanees- Amerikaanse skrywer en digter, Kahlil Gibran

Defeat, my Defeat, my solitude and my aloofness;

You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs,

And sweeter to my heart than all world-glory.

Defeat, my Defeat, my self-knowledge and my defiance,

Through you I know that I am yet young and swift of foot

And not to be trapped by withering laurels.

And in you I have found aloneness

And the joy of being shunned and scorned.

Defeat, my Defeat, my shining sword and shield,

In your eyes I have read

That to be enthroned is to be enslaved,

And to be understood is to be leveled down,

And to be grasped is but to reach one’s fullnes

And like a ripe fruit to fall and be consumed.

Defeat, my Defeat, my bold companion,

You shall hear my songs and my cries and my silences,

And none but you shall speak to me of the beating of wings,

And urging of seas,

And of mountains that burn in the night,

And you alone shall climb my steep and rocky soul.

Defeat, my Defeat, my deathless courage,

You and I shall laugh together with the storm,

And together we shall dig graves for all that die in us,

And we shall stand in the sun with a will,

And we shall be dangerous.