“Now, are you ready for the real reason I didn’t
visit you in Corinth? As God is my witness,
the only reason I didn’t come was to spare you pain. I was being considerate of you, not
indifferent, not manipulative. We’re not in charge of how you live out the
faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We’re partners, working alongside you,
joyfully expectant. I know that you stand by your own faith, not by ours. That’s
why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of
us.” 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:1 (The Message)
[To see today’s text in 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4 (The Message), click here.]
“Use things and love people ... not the other way around,” recalled Chuck Swindoll in a radio sermon many years ago. It was a lesson his father had taught him as a boy.
We’re good at protecting the things we value. We encase our collectibles ... frame our first-place ribbons ... preserve our memorabilia in the attic ... place breakables out of reach of grandchildren ... lock up our coin collections ... slip our photos behind cellophane ... wash and wax our trophy cars. You can pretty much tell what we treasure by the lengths we go to protect them from harm.
But when it comes to the people in our lives, I’m afraid we’re not always so
careful. If we were, I think it would
look something like this: We would listen hard to understand before jumping to
imagined conclusions ... offer mercy and grace instead of condemnation ...
celebrate their successes, instead of stewing in jealousy ... forgive, truly
forgive, instead of resenting a list of wrongs ... stand up for people, rather
than remaining silent before their accusers ... expect the best and not give up
... encourage, rather than stymie ... give of our time ... and speak truth,
always and only in love.
Relationships require sensitivity. After all, there is, as Solomon said, “... a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ... a time to weep and a time to laugh ... a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain ... a time to be silent and a time to speak ...”
And along with that, my wife might add, “... a time to talk things through, and a time to put them behind us and go forward in ‘right relating.’”
Paul modeled right relating and a keen understanding of “a season for every activity under heaven.” When it was time to plant and grow Jesus' church in Corinth, he went there. When it was time to address unhealthy developments in the church at Corinth, he wrote there. And when it was time to let the church in Corinth heal on its own, Paul stayed away from there.
In all things – whether going, writing or not returning to the Corinthians – Paul acted in love ... caring love. They were, after all, people and not things.
And people deserve our very best.
[To see today’s text in 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4 (The Message), click here.]
“Use things and love people ... not the other way around,” recalled Chuck Swindoll in a radio sermon many years ago. It was a lesson his father had taught him as a boy.
We’re good at protecting the things we value. We encase our collectibles ... frame our first-place ribbons ... preserve our memorabilia in the attic ... place breakables out of reach of grandchildren ... lock up our coin collections ... slip our photos behind cellophane ... wash and wax our trophy cars. You can pretty much tell what we treasure by the lengths we go to protect them from harm.
Relationships require sensitivity. After all, there is, as Solomon said, “... a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ... a time to weep and a time to laugh ... a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain ... a time to be silent and a time to speak ...”
And along with that, my wife might add, “... a time to talk things through, and a time to put them behind us and go forward in ‘right relating.’”
Paul modeled right relating and a keen understanding of “a season for every activity under heaven.” When it was time to plant and grow Jesus' church in Corinth, he went there. When it was time to address unhealthy developments in the church at Corinth, he wrote there. And when it was time to let the church in Corinth heal on its own, Paul stayed away from there.
In all things – whether going, writing or not returning to the Corinthians – Paul acted in love ... caring love. They were, after all, people and not things.
And people deserve our very best.
1 comment:
Sounds like a pretty wise wife you've got ;)
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