What Did You Say?
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; 3 and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
II Corinthians 3: 1-3 (NRSV)
Back in the day when Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, letters of recommendation may have been requested by churches to authenticate that one was a valid teacher as opposed to a false teacher. At the same time, commentaries suggest that false teachers carried counterfeit letters of recommendation for the same purpose.
Paul said that he did not need any such letter. He said that his letter of recommendation was from Jesus Christ, written on their hearts, not with ink but with the Holy Spirit!
Have you ever thought about what your life communicated? We’ve all heard the term, “body language”. Body language sometimes speaks volumes when we think we say nothing at all. Sometimes body language suggests something totally contrary to what we are saying verbally. Sometimes body language supports and emphasizes what we are trying to communicate… for good or not so good.
Knowing that you should be Christ’s letter to those around you, what would you want to say? Would you pause occasionally to “proof-read” what is written? Do your words and “body language” agree? Is your letter authentic?
Personally, I would say that many times my life letter has misspellings and grammatical errors as do many of my email communications to our Church. However, hopefully I can learn from my mistakes, keep writing, and have a realization that Christ is constantly communicating to the people around me, through me.
Dear Lord,
I am so thankful for Your grace. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit that dwells within me and that it desires to speak through me. Please help me speak Your words today in Jesus’ name. Amen
