AM Service, 21 September 2025
We live in a culture that is constantly measuring — comparing, ranking, evaluating. Sports teams track every statistic. Companies measure performance by quarterly earnings. Social media counts followers, likes, and shares. Even churches, if we’re not careful, can fall into the same habit — counting attendance, programs, budgets, and influence, as if these were the true measures of God’s work.
But comparison doesn’t just happen on the institutional level. It lives in the human heart. We size ourselves up against others. We evaluate people based on their looks, their eloquence, their resume, their presence. We are quick to be impressed by what is polished and outwardly strong, and quick to overlook what seems ordinary and unimpressive.
That was the problem in Corinth. Some “super-apostles” had gained influence by presenting themselves as polished, powerful, and persuasive. Paul, in contrast, was plain in appearance, unimpressive in speech, and unwilling to play the game of self-promotion. His opponents said, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” And some in the church were beginning to believe it.
In this passage, Paul responds — not to defend his ego, but to defend the gospel and the way Christ measures His servants. He shows us that real ministry is not about appearance, polish, or self-commendation. It is about faithfulness to the assignment God has given, using His authority to build up His people, and boasting in the Lord alone.
So as we open 2 Corinthians 10:7–18, the question before us is this: Whose standard are we using to measure ourselves, our leaders, and our church — man’s, or the Lord’s?