Paul wrote: "I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be … Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do …  Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have – I want you …  I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me" (2 Cor. 11:9-11; 12:14-15).

As I read these words I marvelled at the transparent honesty of Paul's relationship with the members of the Corinthian church; how much he loved them; how much he was emotionally tied up with them, despite all they were saying about him. Things like, he was timid and weak in person and only bold at a distance by letter; that his speeches were worthless; that he was unskilled as a speaker; that they didn't love him and felt exploited by him.

The word translated "love" here means "to love warmly, to wish well, to take pleasure in, to long for; it denotes the love of reason, esteem and sacrifice; it is not only emotional, but involves a choice and is seen in the actions it promotes. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

I am trying to imagine the reaction if a pastor, vicar or lead-elder were to stand before their congregation on a Sunday morning and begin their sermon with: "I don’t want what you have – I want you.  I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." Yet isn't this the sort of transparent relationship that should exist within the family of God?