Life Witness
| We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2Corinthians6:3-10) |
Do your actions and attitudes point to Him?
Paul's greatest desire was that his life would be a message.
Look at what he offers as a canvas for God's painting:
- On the positive side he would like to God to be seen in his endurance, hard work, purity, understanding, patience, kindness and truthful speech.
- With God's help he'd like people to see God's power and righteousness at work in him.
- Paul would like to run a long race so that even when there are bad reports, dishonour and distrust he would be seen as good, honourable, genuine and that nothing could keep him down.
- He even longs that God would be evident in his troubles, hardships, beatings, sleeplessness and hunger. That although he was frail and poor, God's light would always shine in him.
Our lives are a canvas on which God can paint His message of love and grace. Our lives are a space in which God can work. Our lives are the clay from which God can shape and mould vessels that He can use for His glory.
Paul offers his whole life: His strengths, his challenges, his reputation, his history and his journey.
And his desperate prayer is that nothing will discredit Jesus and the gospel.
What could God do with the clay of your life?
