"I Loved His Writing!" (2 Corinthians 10:10-11)

A good friend of mine met his wife through an online dating site. After they were married, his wife admitted to me that after the first few dates, she thought he was not her type and was not going to continue the relationship. Her feelings completely turned around, however, when he wrote a letter to her. My friend is a gifted and intelligent person and is an excellent writer. However, he battles a stuttering speech impediment that prevents him from effectively expressing himself. Through this first letter and later writings, she saw the true depth of his character. She soon fell in love with him because, as she later gushed, “I loved his writing!”

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.
2 Corinthians 10:10-11

This beautiful story reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church. Paul felt compelled to defend his credentials to detractors within the church. They were judging Paul as weak and inferior by only focusing upon the physical limitations of his body and speech. But Paul let his powerful writings represent his true character, a man dedicated to serving His Lord Jesus Christ. And for thousands of years, we know Paul as the mighty prayer warrior who penned so many beautiful verses of the New Testament.

God, through His Holy Spirit, spoke to us through Paul. We only know Paul through his writings but that is all we need. Like some members of the Corinthian church, we need to go beyond the physical appearances and look at the message that is being written or communicated, by writings, actions, or lifestyle.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.