SCRIPTURE:
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
OBSERVATION:
If you’ve ever applied for college, a job, or a leadership position, you’ve probably had to ask someone for a recommendation. Whether this recommendation came in the form of a written letter or a verbal reference, this recommendation contained details about your character, your history, and reasons why you should be chosen. The better the recommendation, the greater the chances of getting the job.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about the greatest recommendation we could ever receive. This greatest recommendation is neither a letter written by the greatest wordsmith, nor a speech spoken by the greatest orator. Rather, the greatest recommendation we could ever receive is the lives of those we have impacted, simply by being who we are. In verse two, he writes “you yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.”
The recommendation you receive is the result of the life that you choose to lead. And this recommendation is important, not for your sake, but for the sake of others––for your greatest recommendation is the legacy you leave in the lives of those around you through the way you choose to live your life.
APPLICATION:
What kind of recommendation are you writing on the hearts of those around you? If those closest to you had to stand before God and vouch for you on your behalf, what would they say? What kind of legacy are you leaving in the lives of those around you?
When applying for a job, you don’t get to write your own recommendation. It needs to be written, certified, and submitted by someone else. The apostle Paul makes it clear that the same is true for your life. Your recommendation letter is “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God” (2 Corinthians 3:3). While the Holy Spirit writes the letter for you, only you get to choose what kind of letter He writes. And remember––the Holy Spirit is truth, and He can’t lie. He will only write an honest and true reflection of who you have chosen to become.
When you look at the people around you, what kind of letter have you allowed the Holy Spirit to write for you? If you like what you see, continue to live a Spirit-led life, leaving a positive legacy in everyone you meet. If you don’t like what you see, today is the day to change. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, guide you, and empower you to make a Kingdom difference through your life.
Only you get to choose what kind of recommendation you receive. Live unwisely, and you won’t get a great recommendation. Live wisely, and you won’t only receive your greatest recommendation––you’ll leave your greatest legacy on the hearts of those whom you love most.
PRAYER:
Holy Spirit,
You are the author of my story. Thank You for writing honestly and for loving me enough to tell me the truth, even when it’s hardest. Today, I choose to follow You. Lead me and help me to walk in Your ways, so that You will be able to make a difference in the lives of those around me through my life. I surrender to You, and I thank You that You are for me, even when I am not for myself. Write an honest recommendation for me, and help me to change, not so I can receive my greatest recommendation, but rather, so I can leave a positive legacy of Your goodness in the lives of those around me. Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
