Jump Start # 339

2 Corinthians 7:2 “Make room for un in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.”

  It’s often difficult to read 2 Corinthians. The apostle Paul was accused by brethren of being anything but a true apostle. They ridiculed the way he spoke. They questioned his motives for taking money. They challenged him and resisted him. This came about not from pagan persecutors, but from his own brethren—God’s people. Shame on them. This happens when people allow themselves to be misled without checking the facts and getting caught up in a mob mentality.

  You’ll notice in our verse today that Paul repeats the expression “no one” three times. No one was wronged. No one was corrupted. No one was taken advantage of. It’s one thing to throw darts of accusations, but Paul answered by saying there was no proof.

  The tone of this book is tough. Paul has to spend too much time talking about himself. He didn’t like that. But he had to. These false accusers were chipping away at his credentials. Eventually, the agenda would lead to Paul being called a false teacher and his writings, God’s word, being discredited.

  Folks do the same today. They hear a story, we don’t like the word gossip but that’s what it is, and off they go racing their tongues and minds. Good people can be hurt. Reputations ruined by those who say things without proof, and worse without trying to help, restore and save a soul. In sports we call this, ‘trash talking’ and that’s a great description, because ‘it’s trash.’

  It would be easy for Paul to ignore, shun and want to have nothing to do with the Corinthian church. But he loved them. He put his heart and soul into them. His words for them, “make room for us in your hearts.”

  What a wonderful expression of love and joy. Make room for us. We want to be welcomed by you. We want to be loved and accepted. Sometimes our hearts are full and there just isn’t any more room. Just like at home, there are days when we must go through things and toss out what we don’t use so we can make more room. Make room in your heart—first for God. He belongs in your heart. Make room in your heart for God’s word—it’s your source of strength, faith and hope. Make room in your heart for God’s people—the church. They are your spiritual family.

  Make room in your heart. Throw out the stuff that no longer matter—the love of money, the pride of trying to be a big shot, and mostly self. We have too much of self in us. It was Paul who told the Galatians that he “crucified self” and that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” What happened? Paul made room in his heart. The Ephesians were told to let the word of Christ richly dwell with in them. They made room in their hearts.

  Many of us grew up with moms who did spring cleaning. Every spring, the house was given a good old fashioned cleaning and polishing. As a kid, you dreaded that day. It meant a lot of work. Cleaning closets. Digging all the things that you had stuffed under the bed. Trying on clothes to see what didn’t fit. It was a lot of work, especially for a kid. I hated it. I’m still not a big fan of it, but it’s amazing how nice everything looks when it is done. That’s what we have to do with our hearts. It’s hard work and you’d much rather do something else, but when it’s all done, my how nice things look.

  Make room in your heart…how stuffed is your heart? Got some things that really don’t belong there—get rid of them and make room for the right stuff, the godly things.

Roger