Verses 1-5
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Verses 1-3. As Christ, be gentle, and be humble. Appearing powerful in one's physical stature or bodily presence isn't all that important because our fight isn't physical. Our battle is against the demonic and worldly thoughts and ideas that keep people in sin and under Satan's influence (Ephesians 6:12-17).
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Your word is your weapon (Ephesians 6:17). Speak God's Word in order to destroy thoughts that are unbiblical.
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When other people say things that you know are unbiblical, and harming them, correct those thoughts with Scripture.
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And when you have thoughts that are unbiblical, correct your own thoughts by reminding yourself of what the Word says.
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Do all this so that your mind and actions, along with the minds and actions of others, will be obedient to Christ.
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Verse 6
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Paul says here that he will give the Corinthians time to be obedient, using his words to correct their thoughts. And afterward, he will come to judge those who remain disobedient.
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In your own life, remember to give people time to practice obedience and correct their actions. After you give those chances, if there is no improvement, you can and should be harsher (2 Corinthians 13:1-2).
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Verses 7-11
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Verses 7-10. Paul was criticized for not being very powerful in his bodily presence, but he was not timid, nor was he afraid to be bold with people. But he wasn't bold to break anyone down. He had authority from Christ, as an apostle, that he used to help people and to improve their lives.
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If you are a person with any level of authority, use your influence for the purpose of helping people, not hurting or controlling them (1 Peter 5:1-4).
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Verse 11. And Paul was consistent. He was the same way in-person as he was in his writing. And his actions lined up with his words.
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No matter what people might say about how you look or appear, don't be ashamed. What's important is to be bold, and to live in your actions what you say with your words. This will make you most effective.
Verses 12, 17-18
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It is pride to commend yourself for your own accomplishment, and it's foolish to think you're doing great because you seem to be doing better than others, when you compare yourself to them.
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Boast about God, not yourself. Boasting—thinking within yourself—that your own works are good does not mean that God approves of what you're doing.
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Always compare yourself to the standard of Christ and the Word, and let that determine how you're doing.
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Don't compare yourself to others to approve yourself, nor attach much credit to people's praise. God alone judges you truthfully (1 Corinthians 4:3-4).
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Verses 13-16
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Every person has their own lane, and limits to their authority.
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Parents have authority over their own children, but not other people's children.
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Pastors have authority over their own flock, but not another pastor's flock.
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In Paul's case, he was saying that he had authority over the Corinthians because he led them to Christ and planted them as a church.
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Contrary to other ungodly leaders that the Corinthians were exposed to, Paul would not take credit for someone else's church or try to take authority where God had not given him authority.
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And he knew that his sphere of authority would grow as the Corinthians matured in faith, got more people saved, and grew the church. When the members of a church grow their own numbers, the pastors over that flock naturally gain influence over more people.
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The application is simple. Don't assert control or authority over situations or people that are not in your sphere.
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Focus on helping the people who are your own, and as they grow, your influence will too.
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