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Today’s scripture: 2 Cor 7:2-16 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (John Seksay):
Scammers and swindlers are people we know to avoid, sometimes after harsh consequences. Bad advice is easy to recognize after the train wreck. Unfortunately, daily life doesn’t require that bad advice, whether deliberate deception or not, come with any kind of warning label. The sincerity and conviction of a person with a misguided viewpoint can be quite persuasive, especially if they are persistent. Given human nature, a mix of opposing viewpoints, strongly held, can do a lot of damage. The whole process can become quite emotionally charged and end up feeling very personal! The goal can slyly shift from finding truth to picking sides and assigning blame. That atmosphere is more political than spiritual!
Corinth was a very cosmopolitan environment with a multicultural population. We could probably add to this mix the natural Greek cultural tendency to philosophical argument on everything. So it wasn’t surprising that the local community would have become entangled in disputes and conflicts. What did this new faith actually require to be known as a Christian? But, as Paul expressed in this passage, the dissention was proving a good thing for the young community. Going through the mistakes and learning from them was, in some ways, really necessary for them to mature their understanding of what constituted a true community of faith. One major key to their success: they overcame conflicts by focusing on what was determined to be correct, not who was deemed most appealing or insistent. The Holy Spirit itself could gradually instill the ability to separate true apostles from false apostles. Mistakes would be made, but that true zeal for the relationship with God, reflected in the study and practice of the teachings, would put things right in the end.
Paul understood that the Message was what was important, not the messenger.
There would be periods when he was at loggerheads with the new churches. Feelings would get hurt. Patience, humility, grace, and listening to the Holy Spirit would have to be learned. But learning reconciliation was all part of the process of growing in the Word!
Thought for the day: Smooth sailing doesn’t make the best sailors. God, help me to learn how to ride out the storms!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.