Most of us aren’t very good at confronting people, even when it’s a needed and godly response. With gentle wisdom and humility, confrontation can be one of the most loving things we can do for a fellow believer – or that they can do for us.

We can be so dazzled by someone’s giftedness and charisma that we miss trickery and treachery lurking behind. Paul challenges the Corinthians to consider the whole picture in both ourselves and others. There is indeed a place for boasting — but in our weakness, as a pointer to Jesus.

For Christians, especially leaders, criticism will come. Some of it will be unjust. In this section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul exemplifies valuable principles for how to respond, or not respond, when our critics are wrong. And, he shows how to keep our focus pointed in a better direction.