Verse of the Day 1/26

2 Corinthians 10:1  Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent.  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 

I am amazed and inspired by the way God brings things together through His Word, in devotions, and events in our lives.  Today's verse comes from a devotional commentary that I've been reading through for the past couple of months.

 

In the letter to the church in Corinth, he was challenging them and praising them in their giving, but doing it in a way that Christ would see fit, with "gentleness and graciousness.  Commentator Aida Spencer writes, "The Corinthians have plenty of the world's critical spirit that chooses leaders who in turn criticize and subjugate.  Paul appeals through the double columns of meekness and gentleness because he wants the Corinthians to learn of these aspects of God's nature.  They did not comprehend God's compassion, gentleness and mildness, so they found Paul deficient because his aim was to be compassionate, gentle, mild - in other words loving."

 

I also happened to recently read President Lincoln's second inaugural speech in which he stated, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

 

President Lincoln's speech reflected the heart of what Paul was talking about.  The word "tapeinos" here in this verse literally does mean humble, but also  lowly or downcast.  Reading Lincoln's speech, you hear that in his words.   Quite a contrast to politicians of today who, after a victory, like to "laud it over" their counterparts.

 

Before we, or I, criticize the politicians of today for their lack of "gentleness and graciousness" I must consider my own heart.  What is my attitude towards them?  May we deal with those who think differently than us with such graciousness and gentleness.  Perhaps then we would gain some headway in "getting along" with one another.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

2 Corinthians 10:1-2
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Paul's Apostolic Authority

 

10 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. 2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.