2 Corinthians 6

Have you ever done something nice for someone or given somebody something that they then completely and totally squandered? I mean, it really meant something to you and then they just trashed it or left it sitting on a shelf and not ever really using it? What does that say of the value they placed on your gift? On the giver?

Starting right out of verse one, this is what Paul is saying to the Corinthians. Don't receive the gift of God's grace in vain. And yet, that is so often what we do. The res of this chapter draws a pretty clear picture of what it will look like when you live out God's grace and value it at the price that was paid for it.

The first paragraph describing it is titled Hardships in the version I read. I don't think hardships are really considered the thing to do in our culture. We typically avoid hard.

The last paragraph describes the acute difference there should be between how we live and how the world lives. Again, if you went house to house like a Ghost of Christmas Past peering through the walls in your neighborhood, could you spot the difference? I mean, cross decor aside, would there be the profound difference Paul is talking about here. I'm pretty sure that's a no.

So, like proverbs says a lot, consider your ways. If you can't quickly think of a way you are welcoming hardships and living like a freak, then don't go to bed tonight without committing to do something about it. Or better yet, don't go to bed tonight without actually doing something about it. Don't take the gift of God's grace in vain.