It Starts Small

¹³ No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

 This verse has found its way into popular culture as, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” People allude to the verse when life’s problems, such as illness, relationship struggles, money worries, etc.  The Scripture passage offers comfort, signifying something like, “I will not be broken by these hard times.” 

This interpretation of the verse can be refined and expanded by attention to the verse in context. First, the verse is half of an “on the one hand…, on the other hand” argument from Paul.

At several places in 1 Corinthians, Paul differentiates between “strong” and “weak”.

In these contexts, “strong” is not necessarily a good thing. It can lead to smugness and a false sense of security. In 1 Corinthians 10:12, Paul speaks to those identifying as strong in spiritual gifts. They also see themselves as strong in their sense of freedom in Christ. He says to them, “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” Then Paul speaks to those who are called weak. He also speaks to those who think of themselves as weak in their sense of freedom in Christ. To these he addresses 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength…”

Secondly, in the ancient world, spirituality—like every other element of life—was practiced alongside others. The idea of being a Christian alone is foreign to Paul’s letters. It is also foreign to the New Testament as a whole. Except when Paul offers individual greetings, he is always addressing the community. The “you” in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is plural. It’s as if Paul had written, “God will not let you all be tested beyond you all’s strength.”

All of life, including both the testing and the “way out” that God provides, are elements of life together. Endurance during life’s struggles is a team sport, not an individual event. If our interpretation of this verse leads us to the belief that we must solve our problems alone, we have misread the passage. We should not isolate ourselves with this understanding. If it leads us to believe that we are absolved from caring about others, we have also misread it.

© Kimberlee Smith 2025 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.