Year 5, Day 90: 2 Corinthians 7

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Relational Capital, Spiritual Capital

• Relational Capital: Relational capital is that which we have between one another.  This capital is secondary only to spiritual capital.  It is a capital that binds people together and allows us to help one another out.  It is our relational capital that drives community.
• Spiritual Capital: Spiritual capital is capital that we have spiritually.  This is a capital that binds people together in Christ.  This is the capital that binds us to God.  This is the capital that allows us to delve into one another’s lives at a truly deep level: probing who we are and what God has called us to do.

As we talk about 2 Corinthians 7, I can’t help but see the relational and spiritual capital that Paul has built this conversation around.  Do you hear Paul’s words?  He worried after he sent the last letter to them.  He worried that it would drive them away from him.  He worried that it would push them away from God.  I don’t know a single person that when they are in a situation of giving advice or correction doesn’t worry about these kinds of things.

This is why it is so important to understand where our spiritual capital resides.  I cannot give solid but challenging spiritual advice where I do not have spiritual capital.  I cannot give personal advice where I do not have relational capital to give.  When I try to give spiritual or communal advice in places where I do not have relational and spiritual capital, I end up sounding like a noisy clanging gong.  I end up offending more than anything else.

However, Paul has built his relationship up with the Corinthians.  They see the spiritual capital at play in their lives.  Because of this, Paul can give them challenging words and they can respond positively.  They can be drawn closer to God through the challenge that Paul can give because of his relational and spiritual capital.  This is the place we all should strive to be in our lives.  We should all want people in our lives to whom we can speak and who can speak likewise speak into our life.

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Year 4, Day 284: Ruth 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Financial Capital, Relational Capital

• Financial Capital: Financial capital is that which the world pursues with all of its heart.  However, from God’s perspective it is the lowest of the five capitals.  As with all capitals, it absolutely has value.  But it can be traded for capitals that have much greater value.
• Relational Capital: Relational capital is that which we have between one another.  This capital is secondary only to spiritual capital.  It is a capital that binds people together and allows us to help one another out.  It is our relational capital that drives community.

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a great love story filled with humble attraction.  Clearly Boaz and Ruth find a spiritual companion in each other.  But we can save that for the coming days.  Today, I want to focus on Boaz and his maturity.

Look at what Boaz literally does here in this chapter.  Boaz is a land-owner.  He has plenty of grain, but that grain is also his livelihood.  Surely Boaz can sell the excess grain and turn a profit.  But instead of being greedy, Boaz allows Ruth to take some of his financial capital for free.  Boaz recognizes that with respect to the capitals, financial capital is the lowest one on the totem pole.

So what does Boaz receive in return?  Boaz receives relational capital with Naomi.  Naomi blesses Boaz.  Naomi does not have much, but she gives Boaz what she can.  Boaz parts with financial capital and instead gains relational capital.  His standing in the community rises.

Boaz also receives relational capital with Ruth.  He turns her eye towards him.  He gains her favor and loyalty.  He finds someone who values relational capital as much as he does.  Boaz is an incredible model of true prioritization.  Boaz knows that in the great scheme of things, financial capital is of far less significance than relational capital.

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