Proactive

DEVOITON

2 CORINTHIANS

PROACTIVE

2 Cor 8:22-24

22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

NIV

There is no question about having a good reputation among our fellow believers, both as an individual and as a group or church. Either Paul had a lot of pride in the people of Corinth or he was just clarifying to them that they better be on their best behavior when his friends showed up because he had told them about how much work he had done in Corinth. Considering all the corrections he included in his first letter to them, it would seem we was giving them fait warning to be ready to shine as believers when this group of guys showed up. He wanted them to behave in accordance with the reputation they had developed among the body of Christ. Would that then mean we should also behave in accordance with our reputation as believers? The world, even though it is full of sin, has an opinion of what kind of behavior we believers should demonstrate. Whether we want to admit it or not we have established a reputation among those outside the church by default because they know how we should behave. Everyone is watching us, examining us, trying to find the kink in our armor so to speak. We are among those who represent the churches, and we are the ones who bring honor to Christ. Do others speak of us in the manner Paul is speaking about these people? How are we perceived by others? What kind of thoughts do people have about us? When they watch us what do they see? Can we say we have pride in the church we attend? Can we say to others that our church is one that can show proof of their love? Can we take pride not just in the pastor, and how good he can preach, or in the worship, how good it sounds, or in the atmosphere or the physical environment we have created to make visitors not feel uncomfortable, but can we take pride in the whole body of people and how they will respond to others. Being a believer is not a passive thing, but a very active lifestyle. We need to be proactive in developing our reputation among all the people.