LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
Personal Challenge
One of our fallen human characteristics is to desire to be in positions of authority, whether it be in our places of work, our homes, or our churches. Why do we embellish our resumes to paint such glorious pictures of our careers? Why do we demand absolute submission from our spouses or our children? Why do we play political games and butter up all of the "right" people in our churches? We do all of this as a way to build up "letters of commendation" for ourselves. Isn't this really what is becoming the source of all of the fake news that we are seeing today...attempts to put ourselves first above those around us so that our dreams and desires will come true? What Paul is focusing on here is that these kinds of letters of commendation mean nothing for they are false documents. What really counts are those things that we have written on the hearts of those around us. If we are truly living our lives the way that God wants us to, loving Him and loving our neighbors, then the resume of our life will be evident in the life of everyone that we have come into contact with for we would have sincerely imparted a part of Christ upon them. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for seeking to build "letters of commendation"!
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
Personal Challenge
One of our fallen human characteristics is to desire to be in positions of authority, whether it be in our places of work, our homes, or our churches. Why do we embellish our resumes to paint such glorious pictures of our careers? Why do we demand absolute submission from our spouses or our children? Why do we play political games and butter up all of the "right" people in our churches? We do all of this as a way to build up "letters of commendation" for ourselves. Isn't this really what is becoming the source of all of the fake news that we are seeing today...attempts to put ourselves first above those around us so that our dreams and desires will come true? What Paul is focusing on here is that these kinds of letters of commendation mean nothing for they are false documents. What really counts are those things that we have written on the hearts of those around us. If we are truly living our lives the way that God wants us to, loving Him and loving our neighbors, then the resume of our life will be evident in the life of everyone that we have come into contact with for we would have sincerely imparted a part of Christ upon them. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for seeking to build "letters of commendation"!
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