"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved" (2 Cor. 12:15).
Despite the Corinthians’ hardness of heart, Paul would not neglect his ministry among them. He refused to be a burden to them and vowed to care for them as a parent cares for a child, expecting nothing in return. He was willing to give up his life for them and love them even when they refused to return that love. Is this not a reflection of the kind of love Christ shows to His church? He cares for us as a parent, He has given up His life for us, and He loves us even when we do not love Him. Therefore, when we set Paul up as a model from the Scriptures, we are ultimately setting up a model of Christ.
When a pastor is able to serve, not for his own interests but for the interests of his people, when he is willing to expect nothing in return for his labor, when he loves despite the coldness of his people’s hearts, he is imitating Christ.
Paul refused to allow reluctance on the part of the Corinthians to limit his service or dampen his affections. Matthew Henry comments, “if others be wanting in their duty to us it does not follow therefore that we may neglect our duty to them.” If our spouse docs not return our affection and love us as he or she ought, this does not give us license to neglect our obligations or our affections toward him or her. Likewise, when our children harden their hearts against us, disobey us, and dishonor us, we are not given the liberty to abandon them. We are to love even when we are not loved. We are to care for others even when we receive nothing in return. Like Paul, we should not seek that which makes us comfortable, but we should live for the benefit of others, and ultimately for God’s glory.
This kind of God-centered altruism is rare today because, and let us be honest, it is difficult. It goes against everything in our flesh to give with open hands, to love those who do not love us, to seek the interests of another above our own interests. But whether we be a minister, a spouse, a parent, or a friend, whatever our relation to others, this should be our goal (Phil 2:1–4). In pursuing this goal, however difficult, we imitate Paul who imitated Christ. In so doing, we will bring glory to Christ, who gave up everything for our salvation.
While God-centered altruism does not give us license to become a doormat at the abusive hands of others, it should still be a realistic goal in our lives. Because this approach to our relations and to our church is so important, but difficult, it can only come by the power of the Spirit. Pray today that God enable you to love as Christ.
