Fragility is not something that our world sees as a positive attribute. We want to show that we are strong. We are unbreakable. We want to have lives that matter and leave our mark for generations to come. We also live in a culture that assigns the utmost importance to individuals being the ultimate promoters of self. When the Scriptures place the fragility of humanity in a positive sense, to us it seems not only counter-cultural but counter-instinctive.
The Scriptures show frailty and fragility in a real and positive sense. There is one, huge, obvious reason. The Scriptures are God's self-revelation to us. We are the creatures; He is the Creator. Neediness in humanity has never been a negative attribute. We were created as needy creatures. Perhaps you might object to this and highlight that Adam and Eve were created that they might have dominion over all the earth. That certainly does not sound like we were created to be frail and fragile. Let us not forget, however, that we could only carry out God's command to spread his glory across the earth as we relied on His continual sustaining hand to do so.
Genesis 2:15-18 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." 18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
It is God who put Adam and Eve in the garden, God who provided every source of food in abundance. It is God who commanded mankind's obedience and reliance on Him for all things. It is God who provided Adam with an Eve because he could not possibly fulfill God's purpose alone. Humans are, and have always been, needy, fragile, frail, and finite. Unfortunately, because of sin, we also became foolish. We believed the lie that we could be like God. That lie was originally posed by Satan. Genesis 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
It is not our frailty that is the problem, it's our inability to accept that humans are not God. It's our inability to accept that we are finite creatures who constantly rely on the Creator for every breath. The Psalmist doesn't mix his words when he reminds us of the nature of our finite and fragile lives. Psalm 103:15-16 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. How can we possibly read verses like this and see them as positive truths for our lives?
These are only negative truths if they are considered outside of the greater context that the Scriptures provide. Let us read these verses again except this time with their immediate surrounding verses. Psalm 103:14-17 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.
Surrounding our fragility is an everlasting, all-powerful and holy God. He is the Creator, we are the creatures, and even though we have sinned against our Creator, we who know His everlasting, saving love have ultimate encouragement. In our fragility we can look to God who is infinite and unlimited in all his glorious attributes. He is God. If you are not living in the saving mercy and grace of God, this has no comfort to you. In fact, it should be terrifying. If you are living in the saving grace of God, being his fragile and finite child is a thing of beauty. We can place ourselves in the arms of One who is unconquerable and eternal.
In Christ, fragility not only helps us to look at God and recognize that He is God and we are not, it helps us to look at God and experience the peace, joy and comfort from saying, "He is MY God."