2 Corinthians 11:7-11

2 Corinthians 11:7-11

Or did I myself sin while humbling myself in order that you all should be given a high status - because without payment I proclaimed the Good News of God to you all?  I robbed other churches after receiving money for living for your ministry – and while being present with you all and after being in need I did not burden anyone.  For the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my financial need.  And in all things I myself I kept and will keep a burden from you all.  The truth of Christ is in me that this boasting will not be silenced into me in the region of Achaia.  And why?  Because I do not love you all?  God has known!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Here is a truth that is often said in the world: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”  In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt expanded upon this phrase in a very nice way.  She said, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.  You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”  This is the situation that Paul found himself in Corinth.  He didn’t ask the Corinthians for any money.  He was doing it because he didn’t want the Corinthians to be able to say, “He’s just preaching something new to get your money.”  But what has now happened is that other religious leaders have come in and started to attack Paul and say that his message wasn’t legitimate because he didn’t charge for it.  They were saying that if he really was from God he would have asked for the support that was due to him being a preacher.  Again, Paul is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.  Take money and people think you are in it just for the money.  Don’t take money and people criticize you and think that what you are offering isn’t worth it.  Sometimes you cannot win.  So Paul did what was in his heart.  He didn’t take money he didn’t need so that the Corinthians would have no obstacle in their path.

Have you ever been in a position where you could be criticized regardless of what you did?  How do you decide what to do in those situations?

Second Thought:

Some people might think that Paul was picking favorites here.  Why would Paul not accept money from the Corinthians when he would accept money from the Macedonians – primarily the Philippians?  Paul is not being inconsistent here.  As far as we know, Paul never accepted any money from a church when he was building that church in that town.  We know from earlier in the letter that Paul encouraged the Corinthians to support him – as well as his collection for the orphans and widows in Jerusalem – once he had moved on.  Paul is not being inconsistent; Paul doesn’t want money to get in the way of the ministry that he’s been called to do.

Why is consistency important in ministry?  Have you ever seen money get in the way of ministry?

Third Thought:

Paul gets it right in the end.  He will not be silenced.  People can say what they will about him, but the truth will get out.  He’ll still keep preaching.  Paul loves people too much to stop.  Paul wants people to be in a genuine relationship with God too much to stop.  People can say what they want about him; he’ll not stop preaching.

Do you have this kind of passion for ministry?  Can the world stop you from talking about God?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 11:12-15