2 Corinthians 1:12-14

2 Corinthians 1:12-14  Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God.  We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.  For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand.  And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 2:12-14  For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.  For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand.  Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul was an apostle, a founder of churches, a spiritual father.  He was the Corinthians' spiritual father.  Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  (1 Corinthians 4:15)  As their  spiritual father, Paul wanted the Corinthians (his children) to emulate his life.  Therefore, he lived in a forthright, pure way.  He desired the Corinthians to seek his lifestyle, to imitate his spiritual walk.  In the above scriptures, Paul essentially says, my life is an open book: what you see is what you get; what I say is what I mean.  His intentions towards the Corinthians were without guile or hypocrisy.  He wanted their lives to be spiritually successful, and as their spiritual father, he wanted to take pride in their success.  He wanted to be able to boast about them, especially before Jesus.  However, at this time the Corinthian church was unruly, out of control, even allowing sin in their midst.  They were not children a father could boast in.  Their waywardness brought a reproach on Paul and on the gospel of Christ.  Paul tells the Corinthians, see how I conduct my life, how I act, how I talk to you.  I am not hiding anything from you.  I am candid with you, yet my words are full of grace and mercy.  He does not deal with them with worldly wisdom that would bring harsh consequences to his wayward children.  He desires to restore them, rather than to discourage them.  Consequently, Paul deals with them honestly, but with the grace (unmerited favor) of God.

As parents, friends, fellow workers, we should deal with each other in the manner Paul illustrates.  Sometimes, we need to say something difficult to others.  Sometimes we have to be the responsible and "good" parent, friend, or fellow worker and bring a corrective word to someone who displays destructive behavior.  These are usually trying times.  But in these situations, we should be as much like Paul as possible.  Paul says, "Follow me as I follow Christ."  Otherwise, look at my life, my demeanor--judge my behavior.  If our personal lives are so messed up with sin that we are struggling, we are not likely to lead others to the light.  If we are obsessed with lying, we cannot with integrity tell others not to lie.  If we tell people to avoid pornography, yet we are consumed by it, we definitely will have trouble pointing the way to deliverance.  If we often explode in anger, we cannot easily calm the spirit of anger in others.  Darkness does not beget light.  If we speak of light but reflect darkness, people will see our hypocrisy and reject our testimony.  Paul says confidently, look at my life, emulate it.  

Now for parents especially, we have to be examples to our children, the best we can.  If we tell our children to clean their rooms, our rooms should be clean.  If we tell them not to watch so much television, we should not be watching a lot of television.  If we tell them not to talk negatively, then our speech should be seasoned with grace.  If we are fathers and mothers of integrity, our children will naturally gravitate towards that behavior.  Parents usually tell their children not to swear, drink, smoke, and so on, but the child sometimes sees the parents doing those things.  Children always read between the lines: these behaviors must be okay because my respected parents do them.  They will get the "REAL MESSAGE," NOT THE ONE YOU HOPED THEY WOULD RECEIVE.  Paul said,  Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God.  If we truly want our message of correction or guidance to be heard and followed by anyone, our lives should be lived as much as possible in holiness and sincerity, for people will always read our lives before they will hear our words.  By God's mercy and grace may we conduct ourselves today in such a way as to bring glory to God!