We were treated with honor and dishonor 

and with verbal abuse and good evaluation. 

We were seen as both fake and real, 

as unknown and well known, 

as dying - and look, we are alive! 

We were seen as punished but not killed, as going through pain but always happy, 

as poor but making many rich, 

and as having nothing but owning everything.

2 Corinthians 6:8-10 CEB

Paul's telling us part of his story here, but also reminding us that people are going to see us how they see us, and were simply not going to keep everyone happy, on our side, or even seeing us as we are. 

People are gonna be people. 

Their same actions were met with verbal abuse and good reports. 

He was known as fake and real. 

People are gonna be people.

Our experiences, background, upbringing, whakapapa, beliefs, all shape the way we see others, and how they see us. 

Paul was OK with that. 

He was OK with "having nothing but owning everything". He'd figured out that what others thought of him, good or bad, was not the thing. 

Paul knew God's grace, and that nothing could separate him from God's love. 

#corinthians

#youareenough

#youarebeloved