things that matter

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.

Observation: Paul desired to be a person of sincerity sent from God, not a self-proclaimed ‘peddler’ of God’s word.

Application: I’ve been working as of late on some direct-mail communication pieces intended for people who have moved and therefore this year will be spending their first Christmas in their new home. The challenge is to write these pieces in a way that catches the attention of the reader and yet also expresses the faith of the sender (that would be me) and the congregation of which I speak. I have no desire to be a ‘peddler’ but every desire serve as one who has been called and sent by God through the church. And this morning I was reading an article from a completely non-religious source who advocated communicating about things that really matter and not to waste people’s time and limited attention with things that don’t really matter. It seems to me that faith, of course, would rank right up there. The challenge, as always, is how best to communicate such important things.

Prayer: Lord, help me to refine my proclamation, whether through sermons or other communication, to be full of things that matter and light on things that don’t. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Job 41-42 and 2 Corinthians 1-2)