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•14如今，我准备第三次到你们那里去。我仍不会连累你们，因为我所求的是你们，不是你们的财物。儿女不该为父母积财，父母该为儿女积财。15我也甘心乐意为你们的灵魂费财费力。难道我越爱你们，就越少得你们的爱吗？16罢了，我自己并没有连累你们，你们却有人说，我施诡诈，用心计牢笼你们。17我所差遣到你们那里去的人，我何曾藉着他们中的任何人占过你们的便宜呢？18我劝提多到你们那里去，又差遣那位弟兄与他同去，提多占过你们的便宜吗？我们的行事为人不是同一心灵吗？不是同一步伐吗？
我们生活在一个自私的时代，年轻人和老年人都只考虑自己。这反过来又在我们的社会中播下了动荡和不和谐的种子。每个人都为自己着想。
然而这不是保罗对待哥林多会众的方式。他给予他们的，比他从他们那里得到的多得多。事实上，他根本没有得到他们的帮助。他几乎倾尽所有，包括他自己，在哥林多建立了这个基督教会。他这么做是因为他爱他们，就像父亲爱自己的孩子一样。
但没想到这件事竟成了一个恶意的谣言，说保罗这样做只是为了欺骗他们跟随他。保罗对哥林多信徒发自肺腑的这番话，实际上是在说：“我像父亲般爱你们，在服事你们的过程中耗尽了我自己身心和力气。我不想成为你们的负担。你们真的相信我做这些是想欺骗你们来跟从我吗？真是这样吗？那些跟从我的，我差遣去你们那里的人，也并没有占过你们的便宜。”
在基督教会中，当针对服事工人的谣言四处传播的时候，这是一件很悲哀的事。撒旦至今仍以这种方式行事。小事件被夸大和歪曲。话语被曲解成别的意思。在这个过程中，当名誉受到玷污，圣经话语的传讲也会受到损害。愿上帝救我们脱离这些事。
祷告：圣灵啊，你是教会平安的源泉。愿你的话语能够自由地被传讲。愿你开启你的百姓的耳朵。愿我们的心灵能够合一，这样我们就能同心合意的传扬那召我们出黑暗入光明的基督的美德。阿们。
2 Corinthians 12: 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?
(NIV)
I saw a sign on the back of a large mobile home that said, “Hey, kids, we’re spending your inheritance.” We live in a selfish age, where people young and old think only of themselves. That, in turn, sows unrest and discord in our society. Everyone looks out for themselves.
That is not the way Paul acted towards the people in Corinth. He gave much more than he ever received from them. In fact, he did not receive help from them at all. He literally spent all he had including himself in planting this Christian congregation in Corinth. He did it because he loved them as a father loves his children.
But this very thing became an ugly rumor that Paul only did this to trick them into following him. The essence of the conversation would flow like this. “I loved you as a father and used up myself in ministering to you. I didn’t want to be a burden to you. And do you really believe that I did this just to trick you into following me? Really? The men who followed me did not exploit you, either.”
It is sad when rumors run amuck in a Christian congregation about their called workers. Satan still works this way today. Small events are blown out of proportion and misrepresented. Words are twisted to mean something else. And in all of this, when reputations have been tarnished, the preaching of the Word suffers. May God save us from ourselves!
Prayer: Holy Spirit, you are the source of peace within the Church. Let your word be freely proclaimed. Let the ears of your people be open to listen. Let our hearts be united so that we can with one voice proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness and into the light of Christ. Amen.