It has been snowing all morning here. The whole world is a winter wonderland outside!
As I’ve been sitting here writing blog posts, I’ve been surprised to notice the hummingbirds sharing the hummingbird feeder together. It’s not typical to see them being nice to each other and sharing.
(This was as good a photo as I could get from my seat at the far end of the dining table.)
I can’t help but wonder if it might be a hubby and wife pair sharing the feeder together? I don’t really know how to tell the differences between male and female hummingbirds.
One thing is for certain … they can indeed get along together when they choose to.
Getting along together. This was one of Paul’s main topics when he wrote to the Christians living in the city of Corinth.
Paul only stayed in the city of Corinth for a year and a half (Acts 18:11). Then Paul traveled across the Aegean Sea to another major capital city – Ephesus. (Corinth was the Roman capital for the province of Achaia; Ephesus was the Roman capital of Asia Minor)
While Paul was in Ephesus, things in the church at Corinth deteriorated. Word was sent to Paul. Hence, Paul wrote a letter (1 Corinthians).
“My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.” – 1 Corinthians 1:11
A large part of Paul’s letter of 1 Corinthians deals with getting along together. It is blunt … it is frank … and it calls for immediate repentance and action.
It is not easy to be blunt, frank, and call out sin which needs repentance.
From Paul’s second letter to the Christians of Corinth (2 Corinthians) we get a small glimpse at how difficult it was for Paul as he was writing his first letter (1 Corinthians).
“I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.” – 2 Corinthians 2:4
This was the writing of 1 Corinthians.
Paul wrote to the Christians of Corinth out of great distress, anguish of heart, and with many tears.
Paul wrote out of his depth of love for them.
This is 1 Corinthians.
As we today read the book of 1 Corinthians in our Bible, we have no idea the anguish from which these words were written. I certainly never had any idea these words were written from a place of deep anguish and distress. I’ve never read 1 Corinthians with an awareness that many tears were shed in the writing of these words.
Calling out sin is a hard thing to do.
How did the Christians in Corinth respond? How did they respond to Paul’s blunt frankness of calling out sin in their life … and calling them to repentance?
They took Paul’s letter to heart. They acknowledged the sin in their lives. They removed the sin from their lives. They repented.
“God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
“Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it – I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while – yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.
“For you became sorrowful as God intended … Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation.” – 2 Corinthians 7:6-10
Watching the little hummingbirds share the hummingbird feeder this morning, as big flakes of snow continue to come down … I can’t help but think how the Christians of Corinth were a lot like these little hummingbirds. They could indeed get along together when they chose to.
It’s a matter of choice.
Getting along together is a matter of choice.
Not fighting, arguing, and quarreling is a matter of choice.
Repenting of sin is a matter of choice.
Humility is a matter of choice.
Accepting correction is a matter of choice.
Not getting offended is matter of choice.
Removing sin from our life is a matter of choice.
Changing from one way of behavior … to a different way of behavior is a matter of choice.
Paul, in writing to the Christians of Corinth, was blunt, frank, and called out sin which needed to be repented of. But in so doing, Paul was not “cold” (like the snow out my windows this morning). Paul was not harsh, “cold” or mean. Paul was very kind.
The entire letter of 1 Corinthians has the warmth of love behind it.
There is a lot of positive encouragement in the letter. There is hope in the letter.
The little hummingbirds this morning chose to get along together.
So also, when it comes to our own lives and how we respond to conviction, correction, and constructive criticism … it’s likewise a matter of choice.
