“In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 8:22-23)

The background for today’s verses revolves around a collection being taken up to support the Christian Churches in Jerusalem. This chapter is full with descriptive language and Christian theology on the topic of giving. And while it would be good for all of us to brush up on Paul’s views about helping our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I found today’s verses alone to be very interesting. These two verses describes a bit of Paul’s perspective on choosing a delegation for the church, and some clear insight on personal leadership. Let’s just take a look at who Paul sent and why. From 2 Corinthians 8:20-21, “We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” So the delegation was purposely constructed of people Paul trusts, i.e. Titus, and people the church would know and trust. I will sadly have to admit that there are still people in 2024 that don’t understand this level of thinking. If you want to do the right thing, you have to be overt and transparent. You need to rely on people you can count on. And you need to have folks that bring familiarity to the people involved. We have no crystal-balls in life, so we can never guarantee a successful outcome. But choosing the right delegation to represent your cause will certainly help. Paul was successful at spreading the gospel not only because the Holy Spirit gave him the words. But because through the Spirit, Paul also provided the leadership that amplified the Word.