Passage Read: 2 Corinthians 10-11
Meditation Verse: 11:23
Thought
The evidence Paul gives to confirm his status as a servant of Christ, it's all suffering and danger and opposition and deprivation--it's all negative! Did these other "super-apostles" point to that as evidence that Paul was not blessed by God, that Paul wasn't favored by God, that Paul wasn't a real servant of Christ? How natural it is for us to prefer teachers and leaders who are prosperous in all they do, who enjoy favor and blessing on all their labors. Is that how these false apostles presented themselves, as having a golden touch, as leading a charmed, blessed life, as enjoying a fruitful, trouble-free ministry? Did the Corinthians fall into the trap of thinking that God's blessing was on those who enjoyed the favor of all men, whose ministries were grief- and conflict- and difficulty-free? Paul says all these troubles are evidence that he is a true servant of Christ. They certainly prove his determination to follow and serve Christ. But these are not the signs we normally look for in choosing whom to follow. Because if we follow someone like Paul, then suffering will likely mark our path as well. If instead we follow someone who suffers no difficulty but enjoys great blessing and prosperity, we trust that we too will enjoy a pain-free, hardship-free, blessed and prosperous life. So there is a natural bent toward receiving or seeking out and following this latter kind of leader. But that would be the wrong choice. They are not the ones honored by God or following Him. They are not true servants of Christ. We need to reevaluate our criteria for choosing leaders!
Application
I, of course, respect those who suffer and remain faithful to Jesus in their service, but my flesh doesn't want to walk their path. I know in my flesh I would rather have a prosperous leader and teacher, in hope that by learning from him and following his ways, I too will enjoy the charmed life and ministry he leads. But in light of this passage, the truth is such a man is not a follower or servant of Christ! It would be wrong to follow him! The measure of a true servant of Christ is not how big a church he leads or how rich he has become as a preacher, but rather it is how much he has suffered as he has served Christ. It's the opposite of what I want to look for. The one who seems to have had trouble and hardship every step of his ministry life is the one actually chosen and blessed by God! The one who seems to have led a charmed life and experienced little or no trouble in his ministry career is the last guy I should want as leader. God allows His servants to be sifted and tested and tried. And the ones who keep going are gold in God's eyes. God intends to sift and test and try me, too, so the people I need around me are those who have been similarly tested, who endured and carried on in faith and service. I need their insight, their encouragement, their wisdom, their grace. I don't need men wrapped in expensive clothes, but those who bear the brand-marks of Christ, scarred, weathered, broken and rejoicing in their scars as evidence and experience of God's grace and mercy and nearness.