Faith and Levers

Leverage diagram

This month at actionchurch we’re discussing the amazing similarities between the power of faith, and the power of the lever.  At first glance the two couldn’t appear to be more different.  Levers are solid, mechanical, common in our world. These simple machines create mechanical advantage in countless common items, while faith seems like an abstract concept, a rarity, perhaps even a mythical idea.  Even when we SEE faith in action, most of us look for some other explanation for its power.

But what if faith is already in us?  Just like our bones and muscles are formed into elegantly powerful levers inside us, what if faith and leverage were both given to us by God?   What could we learn from levers (which we can see) that could teach us about the faith that we cannot?

Here’s a few things to think about:

Levers don’t create effort.   They just magnify it.  You can stare at a lever all day hoping and believing it will lift a load or move an object…and NOTHING will happen.  I believe the same is true of Faith. (Can’t wait to discuss this concept this Sunday…it’s powerful!)

You will NEVER be “stronger” than a lever, but a lever can make anyone MORE powerful.  Ever watched the “Worlds Strongest Man” competition?  There are a few men in the world who can literally lift one end of a small car off it’s wheels.  However, almost ANYONE can do the same with a lever. The same is true of faith.  The most powerful people in the world pale in comparison to the power available to “weak people” who harness the leverage of faith.  By faith, David beats Goliath…every time.

Levers MUST have a strong immovable fulcrum or pivot to work.  The same can be said of faith.  We actually often utilize the principles of faith in our world, but without the immovable and all powerful “fulcrum” of God, our best leverage fails as its shaky, man-made, fulcrum crumbles.

Finally, just like Archimedes theorized that levers are nearly infinitely powerful, so is the power of faith.  The question is…how can we harness the amazing power that God has given us…how does it work…when does it work? (Remember without God as our “fulcrum” our best attempts at faith crumble into sad pointlessness)

I can’t wait to explore more of the amazing power of faith (and levers) this month! Stay tuned.

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.- Jesus  (Matthew 21:21)

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