Scripture

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 NLT

We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Consider

When we accept the lordship of Christ in our lives, we become living advertisements for the new life that awaits anyone who will respond to God’s call to be loved and saved to eternal life. Whether we like it or not, people judge Christ by what they see in us. We become the incarnate gospel, the flesh that people can see and touch and evaluate. Our deeds are scrutinized for flaws. Our words are sifted and weighed against worldly wisdom as people decide whether our Lord can deliver all that we profess.

Paul was no stranger to such scrutiny. Aware that how we live can either attract people to God or throw up stumbling blocks, he identified three areas of life where our observed behaviors can bring either glory or shame to the Name we serve:

• Imposed hardships (vv. 4-5). People are quick to notice how Christians respond to disease, pain, and death; to crippling accidents and natural disasters; or to ethnic clashes and economic hardships. Our faith appears superficial, our testimonies hypocritical, when we allow calamity to turn us bitter or despondent, or to harden our hearts against neighbors we come to regard as enemies.
• Quality of character (vv. 6-7a). Which virtues control our hearts? Do we demonstrate qualities of the Spirit in our relationships, such as purity, patience, love, and truthfulness? Or do we respond with “virtues” of the world, such as perfectionism, self-promotion, competitiveness, and deceit? A heart that belongs to God will show itself in gracious words and deeds that reflect well on our Savior.
• Coping with uncertainty (vv. 7b-10). When we are centered in God, we can face life’s ups and downs with calm assurance. Like Paul, we can find joy and peace even in the face of broken promises, shifting political and economic climates, and the personal pain of being misunderstood or maligned. When we are centered in the world—in our relationships, our financial portfolio, our reputation, our physical safety—we can be shaken and broken by life’s vicissitudes and our lack of control. Through our witness, people who have been similarly shaken or broken may find hope in the faith that stands firm in Christ.

Pray

Gracious Father, you have given me a great responsibility to represent you to the watching world. Grant me strength to hold fast to you in the face of hardships, uncertainties, and betrayals. Stop me when my sin makes me a stumbling block to others. Let me walk in such faith and love that others will judge my testimony to be true and my God to be the answer they are seeking.

Reflect

Matthew 12:33-37; Philippians 4:11-13

Ponder

As I recall a recent experience in one of the three areas Paul mentions, how might an observer judge my behavior?