19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
Paul, one of the most famous of Christ’s apostles, who endured beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, thirst, ridicule, and all other forms of persecution without showing fear, admits here to being afraid. What is he afraid of? He is afraid of failings. He knows that the Corinthians have had failings in the past: quarrels, jealousy, gossip, and other problems. He fears that he has failed to correct these problems and that he is not capable of correcting them. This fear of facing the failings in ourselves and others still plagues the church today. The band Casting Crowns wrote a song about it called “Stained Glass Masquerade.” As you read the lyrics, consider the message and what should be done.
Is there anyone who fails? Is there anyone who falls?
Am I the only one in church today feeling so small?
‘Cause when I take a look around, everybody seems so strong.
I know they’ll soon discover that I don’t belong.
So I tuck it all away like everything’s okay.
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too.
So with a painted grin, I’ll play the part again so everyone will see me the way that I see them.
Are we happy plastic people, under shiny plastic steeples,
With walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain?
Cause if the invitation’s open to every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we’ll close the curtain on our stained glass masquerade.
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