2 Corinthians 6:7-10 

⁷in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Same Lifestyle

         What picture do you publish in social media? The best! But a worker from abroad published his pictures in shorts and sandals. Many comments said, “You worked abroad and returned home, but your lifestyle has not changed.” He affirmed and said, “If I change my lifestyle, it won’t be me!”

         Truly, many overseas workers return to their country of origin. Their lifestyle, behavior and preferences of food or clothing could change a bit. Foreign influences and wealth have distinct effects in a person’s lifestyle.

         In comparison, Christian lifestyle has distinctive transformation: from carnal life to serving Christ as Lord. After we hear the word of God, we want to actively serve him. We participate in church ministries. Our priority is to bring glory to the Lord, and our personal preference becomes trivial.

         When we testify how Christ transformed us, we compare before and after. Before I trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, I lied with no purpose. But after I fully trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, I live with purpose—to store up for myself treasure in heaven. How about you? How did Christ transform your priorities? Let’s seriously reflect on 2 Corinthians 5:17, ¹⁷If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

         A distinctive transformation of behavior practically proves our spiritual rebirth. Have you prayed like, “Christ Jesus, be my Lord and Savior.” We sincerely asked Christ to be our Lord and Savior. He saved us from eternal destruction. Now, we gladly serve him and store up treasures in heaven.

         Actually, Christ had warned us in Matthew 5:20, ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

         Christ implied the Pharisees and teachers of the law exemplified the highest standard of human righteousness. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law faithfully returned the right portion of God, his tithes. They were prayerful. We must surpass their righteousness or we won’t enter heaven.

         Returning God’s tithes and sharing his message of reconciliation are proof we’re reconciled to God as his children. We also behave righteously.

1. Right

     ⁷in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 

         When we trusted Jesus Christ as Lord, we become servants of God. The term Lord means master. He controls everything and provides for his servants. And how can we practically prove that we are now servants of God? He empowers to follow his words and trust that he provides for us.

         We behave righteously when the Lord empowers us. The Holy Spirit inspires us to help loved ones be reconciled to God. We testify that before we trusted Christ we sense alienation from God and scared of death. After we trust Christ, we sense God with us and hope to live in heaven forever.

David

         What personal experience with Christ do you gladly tell your friend? Learn how David told his experiences to King Saul in 1 Samuel 17:33-37, ³³Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

         ³⁴But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. ³⁷The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

         Scholars agree that David was just a lanky teenager at that time. And David recognized it very clearly that the Lord rescued him from the lion and the bear. So, he trusted that the Lord would rescue him from the Philistine. Indeed, David defeated the giant Goliath with just one single small stone.

         Goliath was a veteran warrior, and all the Israelite soldiers including King Saul were so scared of Goliath. But David trust God, and the Lord empowered him into victory. Can we experience similar empowerment?

         Seriously reflect on 2 Timothy 1:7, ⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

         We overcome battles of family issues or personal concerns when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. We may not go to the battlefield. Unless you are enlisted in the military, you won’t be required to report for duty.

2.  Report

      ⁸through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 

         Always be alert as servants of God to report for duty. Apostle Paul experience much of the grace of God when he sought empowerment by the Holy Spirit. He testified for Christ. Glory or dishonor, good or bad report and regarded as impostor, they endured negative advertisement against them.

         When attracted by worldly lifestyle and sense some sort of laziness to prioritize the Lord, don’t hesitate to seek the Holy Spirit for inspiration. We can also faithfully serve the Lord when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Dog

         Somewhere in Kasakhstan, a dog fell into raging river. A man jumped into the river and carefully held the dog in his hands. Instinctively, other men formed a human chain together and helped the man and the dog got into safety. Ten years later, a bronze monument was unveiled on the same spot as reminder of the groups who joined hands to save a dog life.

         Saving dogs, cats, horses, and other animals, domesticated or wild have been appreciated and commemorated. Sadly, saving souls does not get similar appreciation or commemoration. Needless to say, we serve our God not for popular advertisement. We have hope for the Lord’s rewards.

         Seriously reflect on Matthew 6:1-4, ¹Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. ²So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

         Imagine the courage of the men who recue a pitiful dog instinctively. If you can sacrifice your safety to save a dog, prayerfully seek inspiration of the Holy Spirit to gladly share the message of reconciliation with God. The person you lead to Christ will surely thank you. The Lord reserved eternal rewards for you also. Do you regard saving a dog as worthy of sacrificing your safety or life? We regard saving soul is far worthy of our sacrifice.

3.  Regard

            ⁹known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 

         We regard ourselves as servants of God and expect for his provision.

         We testify for Christ. He prepared potential believers to listen to his message of reconciliation to God. Testifying for Christ attracts oppositions. The first century Christians overcame oppositions to the gospel of Christ.

         The Scripture recorded Apostle Paul’s testimony of many difficult challenges that they endured while preaching the good news of salvation in Christ. He narrated in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, ²³I have been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷I have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

         God arranged a series of hardship that Apostle Paull suffered, why? They served as practical proofs that the grace of God is sufficient all the times. The Lord may or may not allow us to endure similar trials. But we endure difficulties also like: Convincing loved ones to seriously trust God.

         Certainly, Christian parents and grandparents, pastors and church leaders desire family members to prioritize the Lord. We endure praying for them. God set the proper time for loved ones to return to him eventually.

Abraham

         Let’s learn from Abraham about family problem in Genesis 21:10-13,

            ¹⁰Sarah said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” ¹¹The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. ¹²But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. ¹³I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

         Abraham is considered the father of all who have faith in God. Yet, God did not spare his family from family issues. He told Abraham his plan for Isaac and Ishmael. Circumstances are vital for God to accomplish his plan for us. So, we pray for stronger faith and expect God to empower us. Whether good or bad, God arranged a series of events as test of trust in him. Life with Christ is adventurous, and we can rejoice despite struggles.

4.  Rejoice

      ¹⁰sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

         Bad circumstances cannot stop rejoicing. We can rejoice always in all situations we face. Can you accept it? Apostle Paul testified that despite sorrow or scarcity, they always rejoice. He encouraged us to rejoice always actually, through his letter that he wrote in prison. In those days, prison was a very terrible circumstance. Together, let’s learn from Philippians 4:4-7,

         ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

         How can we rejoice when anxiousness and worry attack? Unpleasant situations cannot stop peaceful rejoicing. Even if we cannot explain clearly, undesirable moments could be instrumental for God to divert us to his plan.

         Together, let us learn from the conversation of Saul and his servant. They were looking for their missing donkeys. It narrated in 1 Samuel 9:5-8,

            ⁵Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” ⁶But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.” ⁷Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” ⁸The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”

         Who blames the servant, if the donkeys were not found? Donkeys were useful to servants for easier work. The servant wanted to find them. He was loyal to his master. Saul didn’t care about donkeys but he must be grateful that his servant offered his only silver just to find the donkeys.

         As servants of God, what can we offer to prove our loyalty to him? We prayerfully submit to his will. The will of God is the best adventure we can ever experience with Christ. We pray to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and have peaceful rejoicing and explore the best adventurous life in Christ.

         May God Almighty fill our hearts with gratitude and praise him always. As his servants, may the Lord accomplish his purposes in us for his glory.

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