We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

2Cor. 6.11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange — I speak as to my children — open wide your hearts also.

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Sunday’s scripture is the last from 2 Corinthians for awhile. Next week we begin moving towards Christmas in Luke’s Gospel, starting at the beginning.

I have really enjoyed blogging and preaching from 2 Corinthians. Paul has shown us what ministry is all about – not the show, the glitz or even the numbers (gasp!) – but the message – the treasure – and what it does in us and to us.

The last word in verse 13 is a great one – open wide your hearts. Think of a baby opening his mouth to catch that spoonful of strained peaches. Open wide.

When Jesus was asked to boil down the law, he said this: Open your hearts to our God and to your neighbors. That’s It.

There is a lot of trouble in our churches and in the world. We have people in the hospital and dying. Last month, fires burned church buildings and houses down. Tons of people are losing their homes in the mortgage crisis, not to mention hunger, wars and cultural erosion… Things seem to be getting worse not better. The world is breaking down in so many ways.

Troubled times often causes people to close their minds and hearts. Opening our hearts means swimming against the tide.

This is what Jesus-loving people do; we open our hearts. We get vulnerable and even broken for God. We love and serve. We’re in a collapsing world; broken-down, yet being renewed by the Jesus-Message.

…known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

God broke his own heart to save the world. Jesus invites us to open our hearts, big and wide, to God and to the world.

This is how the world gets changed. Give Thanks and Open Wide!

Have a great Thanksgiving.

run to Sunday!