“I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.” v.15 (NLT)
This is the heart of a person who cares deeply for the people. Paul had such a burden and passion to see others know and follow God that he would go to great length to reach and teach them everything he knew in-order to advance Gods Kingdom. However, people weren’t exactly showing him the same love back.
The type of love Paul was expressing included encouragement and rebuking. He didn’t just say the things that the people wanted to hear, he also said the things that they needed to hear. As a result, some started making excuses and pointing fingers back at Paul instead of dealing with the conviction they were feeling in their own heart.
Let’s be honest, it tough to confront someone in a loving way! Many times we are so scared of how it may be perceived and received that we will stay silent because we don’t want to lose that friendship. I get that. But if we really love them, we must learn how to talk about the difficult things with them. It’s not going g to be easy. But instead of worrying about the outcome, let’s share the truth and work through the situation together!
Today, is there a difficult conversation you need to have with someone you love? Will you learn to not just say the things they want to hear, but also share the things they need to hear in love. It may be tough, but Real love isn’t always easy!
Dan Gould 
Leave a comment