Slices
Prepare
In a few moments of stillness, hold a difficult situation up to God and ask for his perspective.
Bible passage
Titus sent to receive the collection
16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
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 honour 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.
9 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we – not to say anything about you – would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
Explore
Have you ever been persuaded, by a friend’s enthusiasm, to take part in an event: signed up, bought a ticket, arranged transport or time off… only to discover at the last minute that they haven’t followed through? That’s what it would have been like for the Macedonian Christians if the Corinthians hadn’t turned their eager intentions into a ready gift. ‘People are watching,’ Paul tells the Corinthian church, not to manipulate them into action but to call them into the fullness of who they are and have said they will be (9:1–5). Who encourages you to be a good witness?
Paul’s awareness of public scrutiny is also behind the delegation he sends ahead. He wants to be sure that everyone who has eyes on this ministry will be able to affirm its integrity. From the Judean recipients to the partner churches (including both friends and opponents in Corinth), and beyond, Paul takes great pains to consider how his arrangements could appear and goes to great lengths to show courtesy and avoid criticism. Far from a ‘fear of man’, this concern flows from his recognition of the importance of living rightly in the eyes of God as well as others. What does this look like in your life?
Respond
Over the next week, practise seeing things from other people’s points of view and, in doing so, reflect on how your actions represent God to them.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 21,22; 1 Thessalonians 3
Pray for Scripture Union
Jim Winning heads up the Supporter Care team which has seen changes over the last year and has recently introduced a new payment system to help supporters. Pray for Jim as he oversees the ongoing implementation and that it will bring real benefits.
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