Feigning Weakness

This morning I have been thinking about 'feigning weakness' as a strategy. That is when you pretend not to be good at something so you won't have to do a task. Competitors use this tactic to throw off their adversaries in contests so that the opponent will press an attack in what they see as a weak area only to be taken by surprise and overwhelmed.

"And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, 'Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?' And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, 'Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?' " - 1 Samuel 21:10-15 ESV

David wasn't mad but he knew these people were superstitious about insanity. They didn't want to be around it or be guilty of harming a person afflicted this way because they thought the insanity might jump on to them.

Self-deprecating humor feigns weakness and is very effective camouflage. A comic pretends to be dumb for comic effect but is really quite smart.

Oftentimes our weaknesses are revealed in our speech. Tempted preachers preach hard on adultery and other sexual sins and it can make people wonder if they have a weakness in that area. Then it is no surprise when it turns out they do.

If I have a problem I'm going to talk to the person who can do something about it. In the area of weakness that person is God but not many other people need to know. In public I am going to have a faith confession in weak areas and not harp on subjects that bother me. I am determined to live in a 'faith confession' that relies on God's strength. My mind doesn't need to hear my mouth talk about what is troubling me over and over again. Putting wood on that fire is not helpful and it only gives ammunition to those who do want to exploit weakness.

Let your enemy think you are full of pride when really you are humbled by grace. Let them think you are greedy when in truth you are happy with what you have been given. Then in the moment of truth, God will be glorified in your life.

I am not saying these things to make anyone a deceptive person. We seek to live a life of transparency but knowledge about warfare is vital in this life.

"Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly." - Proverbs 13:16 KJV

Let's live lives of purity and wisdom.

--