Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
One of the most intriguing things about Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church is precisely that a first preceded it. Take a quick glance through 1 Corinthians and the multitude of problems facing the Corinthians pile up quickly: leadership, incest, lawsuits, idols, what not to eat...the list could go on. Paul’s response was to, point by point, meet each challenge head on with what the rapper Chuck D would call “truth bombs.” Taken as a whole, 1 Corinthians represents Paul’s most vigorous effort to set a church on the right track.
It goes without saying that such efforts would be met with some resistance, as 2 Corinthians proves. Has anyone ever confronted you when you were wandering from the straight and narrow in your life? Then you know what the Corinthians must have felt when reading Paul’s letter.
This time around, though, he is on the defense, explaining his ministry and motivations. Despite the sternness of his first letter, Paul wants the Corinthians to know that whatever he writes is motivated by a deep concern for their continued growth in Christ. “Make room for me in your hearts!” Paul writes. Even though I’ve had to take a tough line with you in the past, your faith encourages me and makes me proud. I don’t do the things I do to tear you down, I do them to build you up!
This makes me wonder: do I have another Christian like Paul who will candidly and lovingly speak truth into my life even when it is difficult to hear?
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