2 Corinthians 10:12-16
We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?
We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I recently read a truly poignant essay that someone posted on Facebook about a woman who stood in the checkout line behind another woman who had five children with her. Two were blond like the “mother” figure and dressed rather nicely. Their appearance was neat and clean. The other three appeared to be of mixed race, and they were disheveled, dirty and unruly. The “mother” was struggling to put her purchases on the conveyor belt… juggle a handful of forms… and figure out how to use an EBT (food stamp) card – all while trying to corral five small children.
People behind the author of this essay began to mumble loudly. “Bet she doesn’t even know who the baby daddy is for those kids… whaddya wanna bet she pays with food stamps…there goes our taxpayer dollars – we’re the ones who are really paying for all of this!” The essayist seethed for a few minutes, and then she stepped forward and offered to help the “mother”, asking, “Yours or fosters?” The “mother” replied… “Both… these three were just dropped off with me… with only the clothes on their backs.” She handed them each a coat as the clerk rang up the price. The essayist offered that she was a foster mother herself… and she extended her help with sorting the food items according to WIC regulations… and showed the “mother” how to use her EBT card, which had come with the three foster children. When she had finished and the family was leaving, the essayist turned to the critics behind her… and she let them have it! She closed her story by noting that after her rant was over, the folks standing behind her moved to another checkout line.
If you go back and read the verses leading up to this passage from 2 Corinthians 10, you see that people were accusing the Apostle Paul of superiority… of talking rather strongly to them in his letters about how they should be conducting themselves. Word had apparently gotten back to Paul that some of the Corinthians wondered if he “walked the walk” as much as he “talked the talk”! And don’t you know people like that? Don’t you know people who are quick to criticize someone else for the very things they are doing themselves… or to make unfair comparisons or assumptions… and to act disrespectfully as a result?
There are so many examples of this that I could cite, but I bet you can think of plenty on your own. The point is that we often want to throw credit – and blame – around where it doesn’t belong… and in doing so, we are disrespectful toward others. Our criticism and lack of regard for other people often seems to know no bounds! Ninety-nine percent of the time, we do not have all of the facts. That person who appears to have it all together and be incredibly successful and fortunate may be going through all sorts of heartbreaking things in private. The disheveled man or woman in the checkout line may be in a hurry to get home to a house filled with children who were up all night… and wondering what he/she will feed them for dinner and how they will stretch the paycheck for another week or more. Your cranky, difficult grandfather or grandmother may be secretly worried sick that he/she is going to end up in a nursing home and left to die alone.
Worse yet, we judge others’ level of faith. We conclude that this one or that one “is not a believer” or “doesn’t feel the Holy Spirit”. Most certainly they are not as faith-filled as we are… and if they don’t jump on our bandwagon, we all know where they are headed! If they really loved Jesus, they would be at church every Sunday. If they really had a relationship with the Holy Spirit, they would treat us… and others… more kindly. If God was top priority in their lives, they would have their act together! Admit it… you’ve uttered more than a couple of these – or something very close!
The time has come for us to all start respecting each other… to stop assuming that we know what the other person is thinking, feeling, or experiencing… and to work on refining our relationship with God. Only then will we be able to do His work… and to meet others right where they are. Only when our actions match our talk can we relate to one another on a level playing field.
If we are humble and sincere in your daily living, others will notice. If we stop judging others without all of the facts and making assumptions… if we live in a way that honors our Christian discipleship and the sacrifices of Jesus on our behalf, we can be confident that our actions are not misinterpreted or overstated. When others recognize us as respectful, honest, humble and sincere, they will not mistake our witness and ministry for grandstanding and superiority.
We must remember to always give credit where credit is due… to recognize God as our Supreme Source – for everything – and we must duly note that He is the only one worthy to judge any of us. When we operate in this truth, we are no longer even capable of judging or disrespecting others. It simply isn’t on our radar! And we are free to do the work of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ… of ministering to others and reaching them as equals. This is my fervent goal as a Disciple of Christ… is it yours?
©2013 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment