Open Wide

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

OPEN WIDE

2 Cor 6:11-13

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange — I speak as to my children — open wide your hearts also.

NIV

Is it not enough to just open our hearts to each other? It appears the answer to that question is no, for it seems we should open our hearts wide. Why would these people without or restrain their affection for Paul? Why would we restrain our affection toward others? Surely there has to be people within the body of Christ that simply rub us the wrong way and certainly do not open their hearts wide toward us. Of course then there is no reason for a fair exchange, other than for us to return their coldness, or restrain with the same. Then of course there are those who simply, for whatever reason, do not like us and restrain any affection toward us. Again the only fair exchange is not to like them. There are those who may be jealous of us for some reason, so again, the fair exchange works well. But the point here is that we should not be the ones who merely respond with an exchange, but we should be the ones who take that step of opening our hearts wide to others, and if we do not receive the same in kind, perhaps we should be speaking to them as immature children, teaching them proper behavior for believers in Christ. It would appear that those who do not open wide their hearts to other believers are simply children, immature believers, unable to discern the truth in scripture, or they may know the truth, but as little children they push back, refusing to be obedient to their Father. We need to make sure we are not like that. We need to make sure we do not hide away our affections for others, keeping them bottled up inside, isolated and restrained. We need to remember this passage and open wide our hearts toward others, being real, showing our affection, showing our hearts, to others.. Yes it might be difficult. Yes, it does require forgiveness. It might even cause some pain, like going to the dentist, when we hear those words, “Open Wide”.