Checkup from the Neck Up

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

CHECKUP FROM THE NECKUP

2 Cor 1:12-14

2 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

NIV

Isn’t it clear that our lesson today is all about how we conduct ourselves in the world? Can we say that our relationship with others is in the holiness sincerity that is from God? It is also clear that we should not live or conduct our lives in the same manner as the world does, especially in our relationships with each other as well as and even more so with those who do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior. It would also appear that in our conversations with unbelievers we should not be using Christianese terms, but speak to them in terms that they can understand. It is not that unbelievers are stupid; in fact many are far more intelligent than we are, but we might use terms that are only familiar to those in the church than those out of the church and it may sound like we are talking about something strange. So we need to be aware of how we relate to others, and speak in terms that make sense to them. If we ever intent to establish a relationship in which we can boast about them and they about us, we need to be able to communicate at a level of mutual benefit. This, of course does not mean that we should live in the same manner as other may. This does not imply that we should have the same set of values as others. This does not infer that we should behave in any way that would compromise the Word of God. But we should be able to relate to anyone because there is no sin that is not common to all men. It would be good for us to do a check of not just how we relate but what is our attitude toward others. Is our conscience able to testify that we have conducted ourselves properly in the world? Sure we might put up a good front, but what is going on inside of us. How do we actually think? How do we actually consider those other people? Do we in any way think of ourselves as any better? To really live in the manner this passage implies we should start with a checkup from the neck up. Then look at the heart.