“For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you if one exalts himself if one strikes you on the face.” 2 Corinthians 11:20
Warren Wiersbe tells this story: ‘So popular and effective was Campbell Morgan’s ministry that he was given all kinds of offers from many different places and people. John Wannamaker, the great merchant of Philadelphia, offered to build Morgan a million dollar church if he would become its pastor. Morgan turned him down, something the wealthy Wanamaker was not accustomed to in his dealings with people. “I am God’s man,” said Morgan. “If I did that I would become John Wanamaker’s man.”
Here we see ministry and parenting are fairly similar. Paul is the parent and some in the Corinthian congregation were acting like teenagers. They were highly esteeming their “perceived friends” at the expense of mistreating Paul. At the end of this chapter Paul will tell them all that he suffered in order to minister and provide the truth for them.
This is a difficult thing to go through but sometimes this happens in life. Paul, has told them and shown them over and over again that he loves and cares for them. That he desires to see the life of Jesus, the real, boiling over, joy-filled life of Jesus fill them afresh and anew. But his love for them in spite of their attacks left him vulnerable.
Paul was an open target at times, because he ministered from his heart more than he ministered from his head. What about you? Do you find yourself in your walk with the Lord caring more for others than you do for yourself? Do you find that you are receiving from the Lord and then giving to others? May God’s grace like Paul empower you to bless and continuously pour out His goodness to this lost and hurting world.
In Jesus’ name,
Pastor Bill