Something to Boast About! - 2 Corinthians 11

 

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

Paul returns to the theme of the lack of respect he was receiving from the Corinthians.  One of the knocks against him was he didn't even charge for his ministry and preaching.  Paul received donations from other churches so he could preach to the church of Corinth "free of charge".  But instead of being grateful they used this against him.  So Paul speaks "tongue in cheek" once again and turns the idea of "boasting" in its head.  

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

With irony in his voice, Paul starts recounting all the things he could boast about.  But instead of boasting about his pedigree, he boasts about his suffering.  Paul begins a litany of things that show his true apostleship.  Though he has all the credentials of being a Hebrew, and a descendant of Abraham, his true legacy will be what he suffered for the sake of the gospel.  Guzik says this about what this says about Paul's character,

In our modern world, we are isolated from so many of the difficulties Paul faced. We can get water and food and warmth so much more easily than Paul ever could. Paul simply lived a hard life as a missionary, traveling and preaching the gospel.

iii. It wasn’t the mere fact of a hard life that made Paul a true minister of Christ. Many people have hard lives but are in no way servants of Jesus. But for Paul, all these perils and hardships were freely chosen because he could have lived differently if he wanted to. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to serve Jesus, and if these hardships were part of serving Jesus, he would accept them.

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 

Paul refuses to boast about anything other than his weaknesses if you could even call them that.  He doesn't take the bait to try and "self justify" himself.  What a great example to us.  I know when someone criticizes me, I want to lash out and show them the error of their ways.  How can they dare think I am not the greatest?  Paul models himself after His Lord who, "Did not consider humility as something to grasp but emptied himself and became a servant unto death on a cross."  Paul had emptied himself so much so that his only boast was in his suffering.  

How do you react when people challenge you?  Do you react and justify yourself, or in humility let your life speak for itself?  How does Jesus want us to respond when we are attacked unfairly?  Take heart that when you are criticized for something that is not of God you are becoming more like the Son.  

Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You? But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor's amazement” Matthew 27:13-14