2 Corinthians is an interesting letter. It seems that there were actually 4 letters that Paul the apostle wrote to the church in Corinth: a preliminary one, 1 Corinthians, a severe letter, and 2 Corinthians. After writing 1 Corinthians, some false teachers — people who claimed to selfless servants — began teaching at the Corinthian church, and even seemed to get some people follow them. Because of this, Paul made a visit to try and straighten things out. However, his attempts didn’t seem to satisfy him, so he sent a severe letter. 2 Corinthians is a follow up to that severe letter. A little confusing, right?
In the end of 2 Corinthians, Paul deals exclusively with these false teachers. The main thing they were trying to do was discredit his ministry by claiming he didn’t have much integrity as a leader. Paul, being as humble yet as truthful as possible, responded not by attacking his opponents, but by stating the facts about his ministry. He’s a bit sarcastic (he keeps on saying that he’s a fool for talking the way he does), but in the below passage, he compares his credibility with that of his enemies:
2 Corinthians 11:21b-33
“What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.”
These words got me thinking. As a Christian, do I really love the people God has put my life? Do I serve them with all of my strength, or do I only do what’s comfortable for me? When things get difficult, do I interpret that as a sign from God that I’ve done my best, and now I can throw in the towel, or do I keep going? Do I care for them so much that when they feel weak I do too, or do I try to avoid being affected by other people’s hardships?
The fact is, ministry, serving people and loving them in a way that helps them to become more like Christ, is difficult. It’s demanding, and it costs you time, energy and even money. And really, this struggle, this fight, helps us to identify with the character of Christ. For didn’t He give up everything, Heaven and all its riches, just to come to earth? And once He was here, didn’t He show us that He loved us by dying a criminal’s death, though He was innocent?
In our lives as ministers of the gospel — a title all Christians carry — this is one of the ways we continue to be more like our Lord, the Suffering Servant. How is God calling you to love?
(photo courtesy of kodomut)