Know My Limits

• 2 Corinthians 10:13-18

        [13] But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. [14] For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. [15] We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, [16] so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. [17] “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” [18] For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

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Here Paul talks about other self-proclaimed “apostles” who have been teaching others about Christ, but were not actual apostles in the same sense as Paul, Peter, John, etc. Really, this is a passage about the danger of boasting, especially if you are boasting about something that you have no right to claim credit for, or if you are assuming a position of authority that has not been given to you by God himself.

Although the context is in boasting, I am drawn today to the “limits” that Paul speaks about. Even the apostles had limits in their authority. They didn’t see themselves as supreme authorities on anything, they were servants of a higher master - Jesus Christ. They had the authority to go into the world and proclaim the gospel of Christ, build his church, teach the word, reconcile fallen man to God (this is by no means an exhaustive list). Beyond that, they knew their place, and Paul defends this by stating that he wouldn’t go beyond what was commanded of him by Christ.

When it comes to “boasting in the Lord” it means to understand the difference between what you are able to accomplish on your own, and what is accomplished only because the Lord has empowered you to accomplish something. To understand this means to understand that there are things God has called me and empowered me to do, and things he has not called me to do, even if I am able to do them on my own. How do I go about discerning the difference?

For one, taking a cue from Paul here, the Lord needs to commend what I am doing. That will come through a number of things:

• Am I open with others about his calling? Do I give permission for others to affirm God’s commendation in my life?
• Are there people who are under the authority and influence God has given me? Are they receiving everything they need from what God is doing through me? Are they affirming God’s calling on my life?
• Do I achieve most of my work outside of prayer? When something is done and accomplished, do I have certainty that I trusted my steps to God, or did I take the reins?

I need to know my limits. I need to know that I can’t boast about anything if God did not guide me through it. I need to be in prayer more and rely on the Lord to empower me to achieve, and rely on the help he provides through his Spirit and through other people.