Friday, August 4
The proof
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11
Observation
Paul wrote to refute the “false apostles, deceitful workers masquerading as apostles of Christ.” They were teaching a different Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel. There was a lot at stake!
So Paul stooped to use their tactics: boasting of his accomplishments. He repeatedly says that boasting is foolish, not something the Lord would do and that he was talking like he was out of his mind. But since the false apostles were boasting and persuading them, Paul would boast too.
But what did Paul boast about? Not his accomplishments, but his suffering for Christ. He considered his suffering to be the proof of his authentic apostleship—not his accomplishments. He could have bragged about all the converts he had made, all the leaders he had trained, all the churches he had planted. Instead, he boasted about his labors, imprisonments, beatings and lashings, stoning, facing death, shipwrecks, journeys, dangers on every side, hunger, thirst, cold, sleeplessness, and the daily pressure of his concern for all the churches.
What if the proof of our ministry (and our devotion to Christ) is less about our accomplishments and more about our endurance, our willingness to stay in the saddle when it’s hard?
Application
Imagine someone writing their resume, CV or bio like this! Not all their achievements, but a list of their sufferings and hardships—what they have endured for the sake of Jesus. This suffering said more about Paul’s devotion to Jesus than all his accomplishments.
We live in a celebrity culture that has infected the church. We have celebrity pastors and we celebrate their accomplishments. But we might be shocked when we get to heaven and Jesus celebrates those who served in quiet unseen ways at great personal cost and sacrifice. The heroes of heaven may not be those who accomplished the most (and received the most accolades) but those who served, sacrificed and suffered the most (and went unnoticed).
The depth of Paul’s devotion to Jesus is revealed in his suffering—that he stayed the course and kept following when it cost him everything. The proof is in the endurance.
Stay the course. Pay the price. It’s worth it.
Prayer: Lord, I love You. Forgive me for all the times I thought it was about my achievements. Help me to follow even when it hurts, even when it’s hard. Give me a devotion so deep that nothing could derail me.
More: Jeremiah 7-8, Proverbs 18, Revelation 7