Read 2 Corinthians 11
28-29And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut. (The Message)
You might think that with all of the work that Paul was doing in sharing the message of Jesus around the Mediterranean region that he wouldn't have the time or energy to become personally invested in individual groups or people. That assumption would be far from true as can be seen in this chapter in 2 Corinthians. Paul cared and it hurt him to think that people he knew and loved would be suffering or would turn away from Jesus and pick of sinful actions and attitudes again. The more people that Paul met and welcomed into the family of Jesus followers the more his heart seemed to expand. Not only did he care but he communicated that caring to those who needed the encouragement. When Paul writes to the Corinthians he isn't writing as someone who is only giving facts and figures or debating fine points of ethics or morality, he is writing as one who cares and sees the potential hurt and destruction that is possible if things don't change. Paul encourages me to ask if my heart is expanding or contracting in the people I love and care about.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- How do you think Paul was able to care about so many different churches and people?
- What might be signs of a persons heart expanding in love to more and more people?
- As you have read Paul's letters how have you seen Paul's love to others expressed?
- In what ways might God be inviting you to express your love to others in the coming days?
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