At that time each will receive their praise from God (1 Corinthians 4:5c).
Interesting
When I judge, I tend to focus on the negative. I point out the mistakes, the failures, the foolishness, the idiocy, the not-quites, the falling-shorts, the what-were-you-thinkings.
When God judges us, “Each will receive their praise…”
Interesting
I suppose there’s a lesson for me
as a teacher
as a father
as a husband
as a friend
as a man
in that.
Interesting
Happy Friday, Beloved.
He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5b).
Now for the other thing.
You know, from yesterday. The other thing about the wheat and the weeds. So the one thing was that the roots of the wheat and the weeds can get tangled together, so that if you pull the weeds you might also pull up the good plants.
The other thing is that baby wheat plants and baby weeds can look alot alike to the untrained eye. You may be pulling up a weedlike piece of flora that is, in fact, a healthy example of wheatiosity. You can’t always tell.
You can’t…but he can.
God sees to the heart of the plant. He knows its little chlorophyllian secrets. He knows the mold that is hidden deep beneath the leaves. He shines his spotlight on the roots to determine which are sunk deep into the rock and which are shifting in the sand.
But then, we’re not talking about plants anymore, are we?
Happy Thursday, Beloved.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes (1 Corinthians 4:5a).
We spend a lot of time and energy judging, don’t we? We look around this world and see so very much that is so very wrong. Hey, we don’t even need to look at the world. We can look around the Church and see so many things worthy of judgment. Even Paul–no especially Paul–spends significant time in his epistles judging, doesn’t he?
So why does he say here that we shouldn’t judge?
Do you remember the parable about the wheat and the weeds? Jesus said that if we start yanking up the weeds too early, we might pull up the wheat along with it.
Why?
Well, for one thing, the weeds often grow so close to the wheat that their roots get tangled up together. If you start yanking up weeds, you might tear the good stuff up with it. When the time is right, you can safely harvest both and separate the good from the bad.
When the time is right.
And how do you know when the time is right? Well, you don’t. But the Master of the Land does. Don’t worry–he won’t forget.
For another thing…eh, we’ll wait until tomorrow for another thing.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me (1 Corinthians 4:4).
Somehow, I don’t find this as comforting as I think I’m supposed to.
I mean, a clear conscience…that’s supposed to be a good thing, right?
Yep, it’s good.
Just not good enough. Beloved, your conscience is being renewed, just like your mind and your heart, by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.
But it ain’t there yet.
In the meantime, your sense of right and wrong is just a little bit askew. The balance of justice and mercy in your heart is a bit off–heavy on the mercy for you, perhaps, heavy on the justice for others. You are possessed of an amazing, near mythic ability to justify your actions and thoughts and, you know, sin.
Yeah, so, your conscience…not quite the infallible judge.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be the judge of yourself. The Lord of the Universe is going to take care of that little detail for you.
Aren’t you the lucky one?
Yes, actually. You are.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. (1 Corinthians 4:3).
Wait a minute.
Paul doesn’t care what the world thinks of him. He doesn’t even care what he thinks of himself. He is trusting in God’s judgment of him.
Look, Beloved, there’s a lot to chew on here and in the following verses, and we will. We’ve got time. For this morning, though, as you begin your week, can you just live in this bit?
You don’t need to care what the world thinks of you.
You don’t even need to care what you think of you.
What matters is what God thinks of you.
And you already know what he thinks of you.
You are his Beloved.
Happy Monday
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
When I was a little kid, my mom put me in charge of getting the mail. We lived in an apartment, and the trip from our door to the mailbox was a grand journey for my little kidiosity. I was entrusted with the key and given the responsibility of keeping it and our mail safe. I was totally faithful in that responsibility until I wasn’t.
One day I got lazy or careless or both and I left the key in the lock, little mailbox door wide open, as I returned home with the mail. The next day I went to get the mail, but I couldn’t find the key. I figured space aliens must have stolen it; Mom had an idea a little closer to the truth. We went to the box, but found nothing. I was in a panic.
Do not be afraid for my little kid self, Beloved. As it happened, a neighbor had come upon the open box before the space aliens got there. She had locked the box and removed the key, and returned it to us the next day. But, of course, I didn’t know that at the time. All I knew was that I had been given a trust, and I had proved unfaithful. Mom, not unlike God, was graceful, but still…
You have been given a great trust, Beloved.
Mind the key.
Happy Friday.
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed (1 Corinthians 4:1).
Paul is talking about himself, Apollos, and the other apostles when he refers to, “Servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed,” so that line doesn’t apply to us.
Except that it applies to us.
Seriously, if Paul is pointing out that he is a mere servant entrusted with a gift–in other words, that he is not the one in power, not the one earning anything–how much more does that apply to us?
You’re his servant, Beloved. Yes, his child and his friend and his Beloved, but also his servant. And like a servant entrusted with the most precious thing his boss owns, you have been entrusted with the Gospel and all it entails.
Imagine entrusting your servant with your jewels, your Maserati, your yacht.
OK, so first I have to imagine having jewels, a Maserati, or a yacht, then I have to imagine having a servant. Then I can imagine entrusting said servant with the aforementioned riches.
Actually, I wouldn’t even want a Maserati. I only said that because I can’t spell Lamborgini…Lambourgini…Lamborguini…
See?
You have been given a great trust, Beloved.
Use it wisely.
Happy Thursday.
All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future– all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God (1 Corinthians 3:23).
OK, remember that this whole passage started with the idea that we shouldn’t follow mere men as leaders.
You do remember that, right? Please nod. Thank you.
People were claiming to follow Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Frank, or whomever, and they were pitting their guy against the other guys like it was Mixed Spiritual Arts or roller derby or something. Paul has spent several verses making it clear that men are, at their best, instruments of God. They plant, they water, they work, but ultimately they have no power. The power is all God’s.
And that power is at work in you, because you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
Now if I remember my eighth-grade algebra, the transitive property states that when a=b and b=c, then a=c.
If I got that wrong, feel free to keep it to yourself.
The point, if I may be so bold, is that if we are one with Christ, and Christ is one with the Father, then…
You do the math.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.
All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future– all are yours, and you are of Christ… (1 Corinthians 3:23).
Woah there, pardner.
Don’t let that one go by too fast.
You
are
of
Christ.
Do you fully understand what that means?
Yeah, no, me neither.
But I get this much–I belong to Jesus, and with him. In some way that my little brain can’t grasp I am a part of him, and he of me. Because Jesus loves me and died for me and rose for me I am covered in his holiness, his righteousness, his power, his grace, his…him.
It makes no sense at all…and yet it is the only thing that makes any sense at all.
Can I get a Hallelujah this morning?
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future– (1 Corinthians 3:22).
Now is yours.
Now, this day, this moment, is when you can meet with God. Now is when he can work in your heart and bring you a little closer to the image of his son. Now might be joyful, it might be painful, but now will certainly be God-full, if you let it be.
Now is yours.
Then is also yours.
Then, in the future, you will arrive. You will be…complete. At long last, the image in your soul’s mirror will match the reflection in God’s eyes when he looks at you. Then will be glorious. You will be glorious.
So meet with him today. Let him work in you. Let him bring Now one step closer to Later.
Because he can do that…even on a Monday.
Happy Monday, Beloved.