Is Neediness and Fragility a Good Quality?

We live in a world that does not value the fragility of the human condition. We want to be self-authenticating, self-reliant, self-made, self-satisfied, self-actualized, self-sustaining, and ultimately self-glorified. While the world markets the self, Jesus teaches that the self is the very thing we should be looking away from.

Consider for instance the Lord's Prayer taught to us by our Savior in Matthew 6. This glorious prayer is surrounded by instances of pious people saying look at me. In Matthew 6:1-4 Jesus gives an example of someone saying, "Look at how good I am at giving!" In Matthew 6:5-6 Jesus gives an example of someone saying, "Look at how good I am at praying!" In Matthew 6:16-18 Jesus gives an example of someone saying, "Look at how good I am at fasting! I'm so godly!"

In the middle of these examples, Jesus tells us how we should pray. He doesn't tell us that we should pray for a great reputation. He doesn't concern himself with our ability to provide a great lifestyle for our families. He is not telling us to seek self-satisfaction, self-reliance, independence, vindication, or authentication. He says only God is holy. Only God is the great and glorious Father. Only God has a will that must be obeyed. All that we have is neediness.

Matthew 6:11-13 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

We cannot live in this physical world without being reliant on God. We cannot have any hope of our future without being forgiven by God. We must rely on understanding the forgiveness we have in Christ so that we can know the reality of forgiving others. We are so easily tempted and sifted by the sinfulness of this world that only God can keep us on his path of holiness.

Neediness keeps us looking to God in and through Christ. Fragility keeps us knowing that we rely on One who is infinitely glorious while we are not. We keep looking to God who loves to show himself to us and give himself to his needy children.

Matthew 18:3-5... "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

Our fragility and neediness for God is not just good, it's essential.