Spend and Be Spent

II Corinthians 12, 14, 15: "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds... I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you... And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;"

The Apostle Paul again dealing with the church of Corinth writes to them and informs them that, even though he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, complete with all the exciting apostolic signs and wonders, that he was still willing to give up of himself, for their benefit - not only willing, but very glad to do it.

He was willing to spend: He told them that when he came, he was not going to take their money for his daily necessities. That is one of the reasons that he kept on making tents. He wanted to prove to them that he was in this for them, and not for himself. He was willing to spend for them.

He was willing to be spent: When you spend something, it's gone. Something spent is something used up. Paul was a man. He had only so much of himself. He was willing to have his energy, his abilities, his efforts spent, and he was willing to be spent for their sakes. He couldn't get back what parts of him were spent; they were gone. But he was willing, even though, as vs. 15 tells us the more he loved them and was spent for them, the less he was loved. But it didn't persuade him.

I want to have a minister's heart like the Apostle Paul: willing to very gladly spend and be spent.
Just a thought...