I came upon this list the other day and although I have read it multiple times before, this time it gave me pause. “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way….”
Let’s pause there. Paul has been talking about ministry, about what it means to be a servant of God. Now he begins a list of what there is, as part of the ministry, to commend it. If we were to ask a hundred servants of God today, I doubt we would find on their list what we find on Paul’s.
“…we commend ourselves in every way, in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” [2 Cor 6:4-10 NIV]
It takes the breath away. Read that list again, slowly. Make a point to stop at the semi-colons and look at the words that are grouped together. Troubles, hardships, distresses. Purity, understanding, patience and kindness. Truthful speech, power of God. Quite a resume. Quite an example for today’s servants of God.
Perhaps the one that spoke to me most is the last one—“having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
Father, make us true servants. Help us to see beyond what the world calls success and find the true calling of a servant. Amen.
