Ice Cream Surprise
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
Jerry Greenfield studied pre-med and graduated from college in 1973. In the late 1970s, after two failed attempts to get into medical school, Jerry and one of his life long buddies decided to create their own business. They considered opening a bagel shop, but ultimately they decided on an ice cream parlorbecause the required equipment was less expensive. They borrowed money from a local banker and enlisted friends to renovate a dilapidated gas station in Vermont to peddle their pints of ice cream.
Jerry worked on their ice cream recipes, and his buddy did the taste testing. Every time his friend, Ben, tried a sample, he complained that it was too bland. A puzzled Jerry couldn’t believe it since he had already added four times the recommended amount of flavor to each recipe! Soon he realized that Ben’s sinus problems were thwarting his taste buds! But Ben’s “weakness” led to flavors that garnered rave reviews from ice cream lovers far and wide…leading to today’s ice cream conglomerate-Ben and Jerry’s!
To think that someone with dulled, practically non-existent taste buds ended up becoming the co-founder of one of the world’s leading ice-cream manufacturers is truly a lesson for all of us. God gives all of us special talents and abilities, but He also allows weakness in our lives. In the New Testament, Paul says something that goes against everything our culture stands for. He says he will “boast” about his weakness, because in his weakness, Christ’s strength is made perfect. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses. Everyone has them, and it’s an opportunity to let God’s power shine through you. Paul celebrated the fact that he gained strength through Christ, saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV).What are your strengths and weaknesses? Think about it and ask God to make you strong through your weaknesses.
