2 Corinthians 12:14-Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

In this verse lies a very important principle that can easily be missed, and instead of being people who are serving and blessing people, we could easily be a burden to those same people we intend to bless by using them.

The apostle Paul wants to alleviate any burden or stress upon this church by not seeking what he can get from them, but rather seeking them as individual souls that he loves and wants to see be conformed to Christ.  Implicit in this verse is the burden of being a manipulator.  Trying to get what people have in order to find your value is idolatrous.  Whether that’s their service, money, influence, support, etc. for the sake of having value is to seek your own glory by using them!

Consequently the false apostles Paul is defending himself against were seeking to get the Corinthian churches support, not for their good to be more like Christ, but for the sake of their own agenda being supported and glorified.

It is crucial whether you are a parent, teacher, pastor, or influential person of any kind to be careful that you are not becoming a burden to people by trying to get what they have, rather than care for them as an individual.  So finding your value in Christ is the most important pursuit in life, because eventually people will know they are being used for our personal agenda’s for worth, not being loved and served for who they are.

In His Love, Ld