Session 7

How to build your defense

From 2 Corinthians: 21-Day Bible Study

We all face situations where we don’t get the credit for something we think we deserve. Whether it is a school project, a job presentation or what we think is a really great dinner, someone isn’t going to appreciate our efforts as much as we want them to.

Many times we feel underappreciated and overlooked because we have worked at something alone. There is no one to encourage the progress along the way, and there is no one to help defend our efforts when the product is finished. It is easy to become deflated and discouraged.  

In 2 Corinthians 1:12-14, Paul had turned his life around, and he was sold out to Jesus. Yet he found himself defending his credibility. “Now this is our boast,” Paul says in verse 12. “Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.”

There was a lot more at stake with Paul’s credibility than a high-school grade. Damage would have been done to the spread of the Gospel if Paul was proven untrustworthy. Paul understood the risk, so he appealed to the Corinthians.

The importance of how we conduct ourselves should not be lost on us. Our lives are not lived alone. People are measuring our credibility. We must understand that our lives either point people to the cross or point people away from it. Each day, we have the opportunity to build our defense by being sincere and having integrity like Paul. Then, when the time comes, we should have no issues finding people we can appeal to.

Reflect:

• Who is one person you can go to for affirmation and accountability?
• Take time to ask those close to you about the qualities they see in you on daily basis. Do these qualities point people to Jesus? If not, what can you do today to begin pointing people to Jesus through your attitude and actions?
• Paul says his integrity and sincerity come from God’s grace, not worldly wisdom. What is the difference between the two? What is one thing you can do to prevent yourself from following worldly wisdom?