2 Corinthians 10:1-3

¹By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! ²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Have you ever wondered why they address, “Ladies and gentlemen” and not gentlewomen and gentlemen? According to experts, the term “gentle” is synonymous to “noble.” The term, gentleman was redefined as a man of noble birth with learning, courtesy, and integrity. In comparison, the term lady is an acknowledgement for class, manners, restraint and virtue.

Imagine a venue that could be very loud when everyone wants to say something. Everyone could be busy talking to business partners during social gathering. Or they may introduce their friends to new acquaintance. There should be some peace and order before a program formally begins.

So, when a speaker addresses the audience with terms, “Ladies and gentlemen,” women with class, manners, restraint and virtue and men of noble birth, educated, courteous with moral integrity should pay attention.  

A confused world needs peace and order. Everyone can be disturbed by difficult concerns. Everyone, even in a family, is also busy and has no time to listen to each other’s concern. Brothers and sisters in Christ, pray to have family devotion. At least, every family can have opportunity to voice out everyone’s concern or even dreams while listening to the word of God.

When we read the word of God during family devotional time, children can learn from parents, and parents can learn from children. Let’s reflect on

2 Timothy 3:16-17, ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Internalize it attentively. Parents and children have different level of understanding. The manner we speak to young children is different from the manner we speak to young adults. Similarly, God our Father teaches us and corrects us according to our spiritual maturity. We pray that the Holy Spirit guides us to discern what the Lord wants us to learn from his word.

We hears one sermon but each of us responds differently. How do you interpret cheerful giving? A child cheerfully may give few coins while spiritually mature disciples cheerfully gives even more that 10% of income. As we grow mature spiritually, we pray, appeal and entreat for God’s help.

1. Entreat

¹By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 

Apostle Paul learned to entreat with humility from Christ our Lord. He appealed gently. In person, the Corinthians observed Paul as meek, timid and gentle. But in his letters, Paul did not hesitate to seriously preach and bluntly teach the gospel of Christ. His transformation came from the Lord.

Have you hesitated standing before an audience? In school, if you’re nominated to lead a group project, do you readily decline? When you are nominated as church leader, do you decline and refuse to accept your nomination? To recognize shyness and timidity is positive advantage.

It is human nature to be shy and timid. But when the Spirit of Christ prevails in our heart and mind, we sense gladness to follow him. Reflect on what it admonishes in 2 Timothy 1:6-8, ⁶Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ⁸So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

Scholars suggest that Timothy may have served as pastor at a young age in the Ephesian church. If you are young or you are shy and timid, pray and ask the Holy Spirit of God for power, love and self-discipline.

Most often, we hesitate to talk about Christ because of young age and no credentials. It’s advantageous to realize our limitation, why? We can pray for God’s empowerment so that when we testify for Christ, we praise and thank God who inspires us to share our adventure as Christians.

Sharing our experience with Christ to stranger is easier than to close relatives or friends, why? Strangers don’t know our mistakes, and they listen instead. In comparison, relatives and friends may bluntly discredit our testimony and say, “Hey! I know your mistakes in the past!” Expect that!

Karaoke

Among Filipinos, singing with Karaoke is very common. Everyone wants to touch and test the mike. They love it when the Karaoke says, “Awesome. You’re doing great. Or, you’re getting better!” But when they are invited to join the worship team, they hesitate. Why do they want relatives and friends listen to their voice but hesitate to sing before the Lord?

Do you know someone who has a very great singing voice who loves to sing in the church but hesitate to join any singing contest? They reserved their voice for the glory of God and not just for entertaining others.

Someone said, “The best credential of worship leaders is not musical talent or good voice. It’s devotion and faithful service to the God Almighty.”

Faithful service is a product of faith in Christ. Life is very demanding, but by his grace, we serve God faithfully. By God’s grace we sense joyful peace despite difficult concerns of life. By his grace we attentively watch for chances to testify for Christ despite personal matters or family concerns.

What concern is more disturbing than personal attack? If officemate, classmate or acquaintance schemed against us, how should we behave?

Daniel

How did Daniel behave when some officials schemed against him in Daniel 6:10-12? ¹⁰Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. ¹¹Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. ¹²So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”

King Darius distinguished the talent and exceptional abilities of Daniel and planned to appoint him as the second highest official in his kingdom. Other officials were envious of Daniel, and so, they schemed for a trap that even King Darius has no power to veto, revoke, repeal or cancel.

But Daniel prayed to God instead of relying upon political connection. Indeed, the Lord is faithful to faithful believers, and God saved Daniel from the mouth of the lions. In contrast, the schemers paid for their lives and lives of their families for their evil scheme against the prophet of the Lord.

Listen carefully and internalize what the Lord warns in Psalm 105:15,

¹⁵Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.

Who’re the anointed ones? God anoints leaders and his messengers. If we complain or criticize God-chosen leaders and his messengers, do we violate his command? When inspired by the Holy Spirit, we pray instead of complaint or criticism. When pray for them, we expect God to bless us.          Anyway, what did Apostle Paul expect in his visit to the Corinthians?

2. Expect

²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 

As expected, Apostle Paul was timid and gentle in person but bold in his letters to the churches. Critics supposed that Paul behaved and lived by the standard of this world. Have you observed it? When critics want to find faults from others, what standard of this world they normally utilize?

Troll Farm

Have you heard about Troll Farm? What is a “troll?” In fairytales, trolls are pictured as ugly giants or dwarfs creature. Likewise, Troll Farm is a group of critics who are paid to particularly publish ugly comments and destructive complaints against anybody. When an article is published, Troll Farm quickly express negativity even if it’s not mentioned in the article.

Troll Farm focus on ugly criticism and damaging articles. Such ugly problem happens to any church. Christians are not immune from criticism and condemnation. It is expected from anyone who in not filled with the Holy Spirit to destroy reputation. But if Christ is with us, who can scare us?

Well, why did Jesus Christ our Lord came into the world? Together, let us reflect on John 10:10-11, ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The devil is the thief who steals, kills and destroys reputation. Anyone can be victimized by the devil, but we praise and thanks God. Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd. He laid down his life for his sheep. Did Christ Jesus the good Shepherd specifically lay down his life for his sheep only?

How about those who do not believe in Christ? God offers the gospel of salvation in Christ to all. And by faith in Christ, we become his sheep. As his sheep, we explore fullness of life that Christ prepared for us. Practically, how should we prove that we are sheep of the good Shepherd? Internalize carefully what Christ declared in John 10:14-16, ¹⁴I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Being sheep of the good shepherd, how should we behave? We feel at ease and comfortable approaching the Lord and intimately listen to his voice. How do we know when Christ speaks to us individually? The Holy Spirit inspires us to obey him spontaneously without reluctance. We have to be prayerful always. Why? Spiritual warfare still exists in this world.

3. Exist

       ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 

Religious or not, we live and exist to faces different kinds of battle in this world. God chose us as ambassadors of Christ. We represent Christ. We testify of how he transformed us. While we wait for his arrival, we exist to share the message of reconciliation to God. And the Lord expects us to be salt of the world and not to be an insult to the family God. Let’s reflect on

Colossians 4:5-6, ⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

How do we interpret the phrase “seasoned with salt” and explain to ordinary listeners? When cooking food for better taste, we put right amount of salt for seasoning. Eaters appreciate delicious food with right amount of salt. Similarly during conversation, right attitude and gentle behavior are always appreciated instead of understatement or exaggerated flattery.

In a difficult situation, how should we gently speak with full of grace? It’s natural human defensive mechanism against attack to retaliate or fight.

Job

One of the most prosperous person in his time was a righteous man named Job. But God allowed Satan to test the integrity of Job. Job lost his children and everything he owned. He was also stricken with skin disease. His wife was upset that Job maintained his integrity despite all the troubles and difficulties he suffered. Sadly, his wife told him to curse God and die.

Job’s friend came not to comfort him but to criticize and accuse him. They tormented him with their baseless accusation of sinning against God. Well, it teaches in James 5:11, ¹¹Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, attitude and behavior toward difficulties of life reveal our spiritual maturity level. Keep praying for increase of faith. As we seriously care about our spirituality, we also care for others. Pray for discernment of divine opportunity and testify how Christ transformed you.

God is gracious. He allows us to endure a certain amount of trials to expose the level of trust in him. The test that God arranged becomes our testimony, if we pass. The mess that God allows us to overcome becomes our message to the lost. Glory and praise to God and Christ our Lord.

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