Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Psalms 113 -115; 2 Corinthians 2
Dealing with Love – 2 Corinthians 2:3-11
3 That’s why I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I wouldn’t be made sad by the ones who ought to make me happy. I have confidence in you, that my happiness means your happiness. 4 I wrote to you in tears, with a very troubled and anxious heart. I didn’t write to make you sad but so you would know the overwhelming love that I have for you.
5 But if someone has made anyone sad, that person hasn’t hurt me but all of you to some degree (not to exaggerate). 6 The punishment handed out by the majority is enough for this person. 7 This is why you should try your best to forgive and to comfort this person now instead, so that this person isn’t overwhelmed by too much sorrow. 8 So I encourage you to show your love for this person.
9 This is another reason why I wrote you. I wanted to test you and see if you are obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I do too. And whatever I’ve forgiven (if I’ve forgiven anything), I did it for you in the presence of Christ. 11 This is so that we won’t be taken advantage of by Satan, because we are well aware of his schemes.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
2 Corinthians is a letter responding to the first letter to the Corinth (To see an excellent overview of this book, click here to watch an overview of 2 Corinthians published by the Bible Project).
Someone, in the church of Corinth, sinned and Paul instructed the church to advise the person to turn away from the sin. In the process, the person left the church. Now this person, after repentance, wants to rejoin the community of faith, and Paul is asking the community to accept this person with love.
Love means that we say the right words for the person we love, even though it might hurt the person. But at the same time, love means that we forgive and accept the person like Jesus did for us.
It is difficult to precisely know when it is to practice harsh love, and when to accept fully. However, we also see how this is a process for us to be ‘obedient in everything.’ We don’t know the answer, and that is why we need to rely more on the Spirit to give us the wisdom to know when and how to love.
Prayer
Lord, it is hard to know when and how to love. But we also know that you loved us first to love others like you did to us. Give us your love, and help us to love like you. Lead us in this way toward ‘full obedience.’ In Christ name we pray, Amen.
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