Loving So Much it Hurts

“For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.”
– 2 Corinthians 2:4

The Apostle Paul was under attack.

As Paul begins his second letter to the Corinthian church, we see him defending himself against the false teachers who had infiltrated that church. Paul defends his conduct, his words and his motives. Then, he identifies six character traits of a godly leader.

 

In 2 Corinthians 1:15-22, Paul describes the first five character traits: A godly leader is hopeful, truthful, reliable, anointed and Spirit-filled. Jesus demonstrated each of these character traits, and so did Paul. In the next six verses, Paul highlights the sixth – and most important -- character trait for a godly leader: God’s agape love. Like Jesus, a godly leader is LOVING (vs. 1:23-2:4).

 

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to rebuke the new church for sins that had developed in the church after he planted it. Later, when word got back to Paul that the Corinthians had not fully repented of those sins, he put his ministry in Ephesus on hold to make a hurried visit to Corinth. Paul could have stuck with his original travel plans. But he loved the Corinthian Christians too much to ignore their sin.

 

Sadly, the visit didn’t go well. It appears that one church member got in Paul’s face, slandered him and treated him disrespectfully. And the rest of the church just sat there. No one came to his defense, and it broke Paul’s heart. So, he left.

 

After leaving, Paul wrote another letter to the Corinthians that is not preserved in the New Testament. He mentions it in verse 2:4: ““For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.” In that letter, Paul rebuked the Christians who needed to be rebuked and corrected those who needed to be corrected. His letter may have seemed harsh, but it was written in agape love.

 

Even when the Corinthians treated Paul terribly, he loved them … selflessly, sacrificially and unconditionally. Paul could have ignored the Corinthian Christians’ sins, but he loved them too much. So, he confronted their sin. Then, after he did, he backed off, rather than pouring salt on an open wound.

 

When agape love demanded that he speak, Paul spoke. And when agape love demanded that he refrain from speaking, he refrained from speaking … just like Jesus.

 

If Jesus truly is your Lord, ask yourself: Which of these character traits is lacking in your life?

 

Are you HOPEFUL – looking for the best in people? Are you TRUTHFUL – a man or woman of your word? Are you RELIABLE – someone people can count on to follow through? Are you ANOINTED and SPIRIT-FULLED – full of Christ, not just full of yourself? Most of all, are you LOVING? Do you humbly love the Christians around you?

 

Remember, like Jesus, a godly leader loves the people around him with a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional agape love.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services at 9am: at 17746 George Blvd., or at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.