—Galatians 4.12–20—

¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. ¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. ¹⁴ Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. ¹⁵ What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. ¹⁸ It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. ¹⁹ My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, ²⁰ how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

A sickly stranger comes stumbling into town with nobody to turn to. Helping hands are extended. Wounds are dressed, an illness is cured, healing is acomplished, and one sick man’s trial yields deeper healing, Godly healing, for many.

This was Paul’s situation in Galatia. His language indicates that his purpose in coming to Galatia had something to do with his broken body. Today we can only speculate what his ailment may have been, but regardless of the problem notice how God turned Paul’s trial toward His purposes.

Imagine the surprise of the Galatian caretakers when their broken down patient, certainly grateful for their services, revealed himself as the passionate, truth-speaking servant of Christ Jesus that he was. The tables were turned. The patient had become the healer and the healer the patient. To receive such a harshly worded letter as this from one to whom they had so lovingly tended, for whom they “would have torn out their eyes”, must have been hard to swallow.

But the truth transcends Galatian defensiveness. They needed someone to keep them grounded in the narrow path that Jesus blazed toward God, even when strong words were necessary.

We all still desperately need this remedy.