Saintly stealth

 This week's verses are 2 Corinthians 11:

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough! For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.

I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast. For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly. For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. (To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.

Paul here is writing about people being led astray by self-promoting preachers. People had started leaving the church to follow after these people. It was hard for Paul to be taken seriously, despite delivering God's message. His humility was no match for these people's grandiose stories.

In the previous chapter, Paul tells people that they shouldn't believe someone who boasts about themselves and provides their own recommendation. But so that he can put things in perspective, he spends this chapter outlining his impressive credentials. It's clear that if he had been self-promoting like these people were, there would have been no contest.

You've probably seen preachers like these. Their sermons are usually about themselves. When they share testimonies about great things God has done, it's not as much to give glory to God as to make sure you know they were participating. They have long impressive Holy-Apostle-and-Evangelist-Reverend-Doctor-Blessed-So-and-So titles.

The thing is, the really impressive people usually look more like Paul than one of these "super-apostles." I remember once meeting a really dorky missionary guy and afterwards people coming up to me and being like "would you have guessed how many times that guy has been in jail?" Turns out he'd spent a bunch of time in countries that are closed to the gospel and wouldn't shut up about Jesus so they imprisoned him multiple times. He'd been to all kinds of dangerous places, but you would never guess it looking at him.

So Paul spells things out to the people who are led astray after these puffed up preachers.  They are being manipulated and shaken down for money, while Paul never asked for anything from them. The "super-apostles" are bragging and boasting, while Paul never mentioned a word to the people about all he'd been through for them. Paul has silently paid the price while these folks put on a show.

I had the opportunity recently to travel to a country that had had a violent atheist revolution years ago, which resulted in a lot of Christians being martyred. Nobody hears a word about them despite their extreme bravery and dedication. Can you imagine sitting there for hours, seeing and hearing people get hacked to death for choosing Jesus, and still having the strength to choose him when given the ultimatum?

I also visited a place where a famous Christian author had lived. Not a word was mentioned anywhere about him in his religious community, despite being a best seller. Even in his letters, which were published after his death, he is full of humility and devoid of all self-promotion.

Just like at any company, the people doing the real work are the people you never see, while the self-promoters rise to the top and get the accolades! But how many of us are taken in by the hype? How many role models are we missing because we're focused on the noise of the proud?

And on the other side of things, are you more like Paul or more like the "super-apostles?" Would you be willing to work without pay, in a dangerous job that oftentimes turns violent, with long grueling travel required, for no recognition, and possibly even contempt from those you served?

It's not a path we would quickly choose, but between Paul and the "super-apostles," his is the path that most resembles Jesus' path to the cross. And that's the path we're called to follow.