2 Corinthians 5:9-10, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
Paul, in his day, had many cultural, economic, and ministry issues, much like we see and experience today. He was in the midst of much conflict wherever he taught and preached. The Judaizers were continually speaking in a degrading way against Paul and were putting him down and challenged his apostleship. However, Paul didn’t have commentators via Twitter and Facebook, bombarding him with continual prideful, argumentative, hateful, and accusatory attacking commentators, on both sides denouncing his viewpoints. Can you imagine what Paul’s enemies comments would have stated against him over the media sites?
Instead, Paul’s driving purpose and passion, behind his life’s motivation was to be pleasing to God no matter what. He kept that goal always before him. So often, I get distracted by the conflict, unloving accusatory words, and by other people’s actions that I disagree with – do you? As a woman, are you able to put those things in a drawer, compartmentalize it, and leave them there? I have trouble doing that. So I have to direct my thoughts back to self-examination concerning, “Am I pleasing or displeasing God in my efforts?” That’s it.
What incidents have triggered your conversational emotional reactions this week? How do you build discipline in your responsive dialogue? Men are unique in that they use humor to try and squelch anger in a heated moment. Have you noticed that? That doesn’t work with us women so well. We tend to fume and relive those bruses in our mind.
But more importantly, when we Christians appear before the judgment seat of Christ (known as the bema seat of Christ), where the motives of our works will be judged, the true character of our actions will be exposed. I have to ask myself, how faithful am I to the responsibilities that God has given to me now? Am I pleasing or displeasing God? Will this instance that has me so upset matter a month from now, let alone in eternity? That is what kept Paul focused on his purpose in life. He didn’t want his stupidity or sin to hurt God. Neither do I.
Here is a quote from Alexander MacLaren, who was an English non-conformist minister (Feb. 11, 1826 – May 5, 1910) that says it all: “You report to headquarters. Never mind what anybody else thinks of you. Your business is to please Christ, and the less you trouble yourselves about pleasing men, the more you will succeed in doing it.”
Listen to Mercy Me’s Almost Home. Lyric Video by InBeautifulChaos.