Read 1 Corinthians 4:1–13
It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end
of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena.
1 Corinthians 4:9
Pride has no place in ministry. If a truly great leader like Paul
considered himself “on display at the end of the procession,” where
does this leave the rest of us? Church members are wrong when they
measure ministers by standards other than those God has given. They
are also wrong when they boast about their favorite preachers. This is
not to say that faithful servants should not be recognized and honored
(1 Thess. 5:12–13), but in all things, God must be glorified.
Paul was a fool according to the standards of the world. Had he
remained a Jewish rabbi, he could have attained great heights in the
Jewish religion (Gal. 1:14). The Corinthians were wise in their own
eyes, but they were actually fools in the sight of God. By depending
on the wisdom and the standards of the world, they were acting like
fools. Many times to be spiritually wise is to become foolish in the
eyes of the world (1 Cor. 3:18). I often find myself quoting those
words of martyred Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot
keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Something to Ponder
What are some things you “cannot keep”? What are the things you
“cannot lose”?