DEVOTION / Weaponized incompetence

I learned a term recently. And another way I sin. The term: weaponized incompetence.

What is weaponized incompetence?

When someone pretends that they can’t perform a simple action so someone else will do it for them, it's weaponized incompetence.

Weaponized incompetence often happens in our homes. The husband who shrugs off responsibility for cleaning by telling his wife, "I can't clean as well as you can, Honey. I'll just make it worse," is practicing weaponized incompetence. So is the child who whimpers, "I can't. I don't know how," when asked to clear the table. "But, Dad," she adds, "you always do a great job."

Weaponized incompetence also happens in the church. It describes members who opt out of volunteering even though they have the time and skills. The excuse they use: others can do those jobs much better than they.

Christians may weaponize their faked incompetence to excuse themselves from sharing their faith. "I don't have the right personality to talk about Jesus with others. And besides, I don't know enough about the Bible. But, Pastor (or someone else), you share your faith so easily."

The blessings of knowing about weaponized incompetence

Weaponized incompetence: slyly complimenting someone in order to beguile them into assuming your responsibilities. I've done it. What about you?

There are blessings that come with learning about weaponized incompetence.

• Learning this term makes it easier to recognize weaponized incompetence in my life. And then to repent of it.

• Learning this term creates even greater gratitude because weaponized incompetence is also included among all the sins Jesus has forgiven.

• And that increases my appreciation for God's forgiving grace, which in turn prompts me to competently live out who I am in Jesus' body.

That's what learning about weaponized incompetence has done for me.

What about you?