Comparison and Gifts

If you’re anything like me, you sometimes struggle with comparing your own unique, God-ordained spiritual gifts to those of other people in your life. It can be so easy to watch other Christians as they use their spiritual gifts and wonder if, just maybe, those individuals are more impactful or blessed than we are.

I often struggle with this myself. As someone who is often too attentive to what others around me are doing and thinking, I find that I’m very quick to notice when someone is better at something than I am. I might watch as someone responds to a situation with much more grace than I think I could have, I might notice how someone decided to serve without being prompted when I would never have thought to do so, or I might watch someone be praised for their more public spiritual gift and become envious. Clearly, I have issues and you all now know just how much I need Jesus. 🙂 But, what I think the enemy is always trying to distract us from is the fact that we each have our own unique giftings, and while we can absolutely always grow and develop in other areas, we each do have certain areas in which we were created to shine.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 with me…

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

While there are many different ways we are gifted as followers of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us that we share the very same God, and thus, our spiritual gifts should draw us closer together instead of causing division among the body of Christ. Going back to the personal examples I shared regarding the ways I struggle with comparing my specific spiritual gifts to others’ spiritual gifts, I have begun to try to handle those exact situations differently.

For example, instead of beating myself up because I know I might not have responded to a situation with as much grace as my friend, I have learned that I can instead pray for an abundance of grace to be given to me in that moment. If I don’t have any grace with myself first, I won’t have any leftover to give to others around me, and I want to be known as a woman of grace.

Instead of feeling frustrated that I never thought to serve those around me in the tangible ways in which my friend instinctually did, I have learned that I can instead use that as a reminder the next time I see a need that is unmet. Since this happened in my own life and I was inspired by the example of a dear friend who has the heart of a complete servant, I have become more servant-hearted and noticed unmet needs. I can choose to surround myself with friends and other believers who provide an amazing example and sharpen me as a Christ follower… undoubtedly, the impact this choice has on my life and on others’ lives is huge.

Lastly, instead of becoming envious because my friend’s spiritual gift is more public than my behind the scenes spiritual gift, I have learned that I can instead choose to praise God for the way He is using that person. I’ve even found that if I build that friend up, perhaps by verbally encouraging them that their spiritual gift is impacting those around them, my envy quickly subsides… because it is not about me anymore- it’s about the kingdom of God being moved forward. The enemy wants to twist and contort our spiritual gifts and use them for evil, but I hope today’s text reminds each of us that we need to be on guard against this.

Friend, you were created beautifully, intricately and purposefully. Be encouraged today to continually be discovering the unique ways God gifted you and growing into that. I’ll end with one of my all time favorite verses on this very topic, Galatians 6:5, which in The Message version says:

4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Hats, Hair and Meals?

Today’s reading is 1 Cor 11

At first glance our chapter today seems to be dealing with some rather strange topics. Does God really care if I cover my head, wear my hair long or short, or have a meal with friends? If we read this chapter literally and don’t look a bit deeper into it’s meaning and purpose, we might walk away thinking we need to make some changes in our appearance. I’m pretty sure that God is way more interested in my heart and my motives than how I wear my hair. So what is the point? What is God getting at in this passage?

In the first 16 verses of this chapter, Paul is using some pretty persuasive writing to the Corinthians to help them understand what was expected of them during worship. Looking at vs 16, it is pretty clear that Paul is dealing with an issue that is a cultural custom in this passage. It seems that the Corinthian women were in the process of working out their freedom in Christ and ended up making some choices that missed the mark of God’s intentions. The cultural custom around head coverings and hair length were in place to help everyone remember that God was the Head of the church and that men were heads of the family unit. When the Corinthian women threw off their head coverings, they were going beyond their freedom in Christ. In essence they were saying by this action that there is no authority, which is a self-serving attitude. Because the Corinthians were pursuing self-interests, they were unwilling to subordinate themselves to the needs of others, and worse, they were placing themselves above God. Now we are getting into some territory that speaks to me and continues to be prevalent in our culture today. This principle behind the head covering issue is something that all people throughout time have struggled with and faced no matter what the cultural norm has looked like.

So the last 17 verses of this passage deal with the Lord’s Supper. It seems that back during early church time, the Lord’s Supper was an actual meal. When the people gathered to worship, part of that worship time was sharing a meal together. It looks like this was getting twisted enough in the Corinthian church that it was actually producing the exact opposite results than it was intended to produce. It appears that just as we sometimes struggle today, the Corinthians were separating by friend groups, forming cliques and eating fancy meals together with their friends, while other people were hurt because they were left out, maybe because they couldn’t afford such an elaborate version of the meal. The Lord’s Supper represents the most selfless and giving act ever known. The Corinthians were, and we are called to partake in this meal to remember the selfless gift of Christ taking our place, paying the price for our sin. Instead of a unifying remembrance of a selfless act, they turned it into a selfish time of fun with friends to the exclusion of others. They were actually doing more harm than good.

As I read this passage and think on the ways that these Christians got off track, I sometimes wish that I had Paul as a personal friend and that he would send me letters pointing out the places I have twisted God’s truth, and missed the mark trying to live by God’s principles. I tell myself that it would be so much easier to know where I am messing up if I got direct instructions in a letter like so many of the people in the new testament did. (The truth is that I would probably melt into a puddle of shame if that actually happened!) The good news is that we have a loving God who knows our hearts and minds. He knows us perfectly and knows how we learn best and at what pace we are able to make changes. He has also gifted us the Holy Spirit who is willing to point out our messes if we are brave enough to ask for help. Let’s choose today to take the time to ask God to show us where we are missing the mark. Let’s ask Him to show us the places in our lives where we are putting ourselves and our desires ahead of others needs, or worse Him.

1 Corinthians 10

    Since I last wrote two weeks ago, we have finished the book of Acts and are now reading 1 Corinthians together.  In today’s reading, our focus is on chapter 10. This chapter has two primary themes:  it is a strong warning against idolatry, and an equally strong encouragement to glorify God.

    Paul begins by warning the Corinthian people against putting anything – another person, an object, a behavior – in God’s rightful place.  He mentions sexual immorality, testing God, and…grumbling.  Paul writes, “We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.”  (1 Corinthians 10: 10)  Grumbling?  When I’m overwhelmed, I can be a good grumbler.  A really good grumbler, actually.  I try not to, but it happens more often than I’d like to admit.  So, reading Paul’s words about grumbling and idolatry really made me think.  How is grumbling a form of idolatry?  Personally, I grumble when I think that I should be treated better, or that a situation should have turned out differently.  Basically, I grumble when I’m making everything about me.  Ouch.  Right?  What should I do – what should we do – when we are tempted to grumble?  This is what I’m going to do:  since I grumble when I feel overwhelmed, I’m going to do a better job asking for help.  There are plenty of people in my life who are ready and willing to help me – and I’m pretty sure it is impossible for me to request help and to grumble at the same time.

    Next, Paul gives his readers hope.  He explains that even though we will face temptation as a follower of Christ, God is faithful and will always – always – provide us with an escape route from that temptation.  He says, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13)  Did you catch that God provides us with the way (ESV)?  One way?  How, then, do we know what that way is?  I believe that He is The Way.  We stay close to Him.  We read His word.  We pray.  Then, we will be less likely to bend to temptations, and when we do – and we will, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) – we will be more likely to quickly glimpse that one specific escape route:  the one that leads directly back to him.

    Paul’s last words in this chapter are both beautiful and challenging:  “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  (1 Corinthians 10:21).  I remember when I was a new mom, hearing a speaker suggest that when we performed the more mundane tasks of motherhood – like changing diapers and washing toilets – we should praise God that He has given us the ability to do those things, and consider our daily chores a privilege.  I remember jumping on that bandwagon right away -only to forget a day or an hour later, and begin grumbling to myself in my head.  With perspective, and age, I’ve come to think of this verse in a different way.   Now, throughout the day, I praise Him for the privilege of walking through my life with Him.   I seek to glorify His name by doing the work that He has called me to do each day.  Without grumbling.

Intentional Purpose

 

Today’s Reading: I Corinthians 9

Several years ago, there was a very popular bible study called the Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. The study is a forty-day guided journey of self-reflection and inspiration. When I was a young graduate, I studied this book and learned several ideas that were life changing and forced me to make adjustments. But I as I write this post, I have forgotten the majority of what I had gained from the book. At that time I was essentially going through the motions and not actively seeking a more in-depth spiritual journey.   I felt that I was walking around aimlessly without a specific purpose.   James puts it so well

James 2:14-17

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good [b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 I was trying to increase my faith relationship with God, but my works or actions were not aligned with His Plan.

These past several weeks, I have been reading and praying more with intention than I have done in quite some time. I have been faithful in my bible study, my personal spiritual reading and prayer time. This has allowed me to be more in tune with what God has positioned for me to understand and conquer.   As this journey has continued these past couple of weeks, I have been met with more affliction and adversity. I take this as a positive outcome, I have been growing in my relationship with God and the enemy is upset, for this reason alone I am overjoyed.   That is were Paul has revealed to me this week in

 I Corinthians 9: 24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,[b] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Unlike my younger self, I have found purposeful intention in my faith and my actions. I am continually seeking to win the race and obtain the goal. I am no longer aimless in my fight or run. I have driven focus and dedicated purpose to win and not be slothful in my prayers, aspirations, relationships, and connection with God.  My prayer is for us a community to become more intentional with our desire and relationship with God.

Love One Another

Todays reading is from 1 Corinthians 8

Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.   1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (NLT)

When I first read this chapter, I got caught up in the question of eating meat that was offered to idols. I thought, “ugh…what does this have to do with me, today, in my life???”  Eating meat is not an issue that I deal with.  The crazy thing is that this chapter is about LOVING GOD and LOVING PEOPLE, not about whether you eat meat or not.

The people in Corinth were caught up with rules and what they should do about eating meat that had been offered to idols. Paul reminds them that it really does not matter, because there is only One God.  But, you need to always think of your brother/sister, is what you are doing affecting them in any way. Is it leading them to God or astray?
In todays culture, it is not often an issue about whether one eats meat or not. Today, we face questions and issues about whether it is ok to have a glass of wine? A beer? A tattoo? A Belly piercing? (yea, we have just had that question in our house) Is it ok to listen to explicit music? Do my kids have too much screen time? Am I too involved in social Media? Where do I stand on LBGTQ issues? We are bombarded by so many issues! Do I offer my knowledge on these issues to others and make a stand on what I think I know to be true…or do I show genuine LOVE? Paul makes it known in this 8th chapter, that we are to show others our love.

I can’t break this down any better than Francis Chan has already done. I have watched this video 3 times now and am so convicted to LOVE people more. We get so caught up in what is going on in our lives, in doing the right things, making the right decisions and hoping we look good to others, that we forget to focus on what God calls us to do…to LOVE people.

If you have time…this video will definitely impact how you face your day today and LOVE OTHERS!

 

Surrender

Today’s reading:  1 Corinthians 7

In my Bible, the heading for 1 Corinthians 7 is ‘Principles for Marriage’. While the majority of the text talks about marriage in some way, I don’t think the main point of the chapter applies only to marriage.  Look at the section titled ‘Live as You are Called’, beginning in verse 17 –

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him (1 Corinthians 7:17).

As our creator, God knows what is best for us and has a plan for our lives. He designed everything to work together for good and to bring glory to him.  This is why his word outlines principles for key parts of our lives like marriage, jobs, kids, and so much more.  (Food for thought – with a divorce rate over 50% and a job satisfaction rate under 50%, I don’t think we can claim our plan is working better than God’s).

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God’s plans do not promise happiness, but they do promise hope and purpose. The wisest choice I could ever make is to trust God and rely on his plans.  I am not that smart.  To think I could ever come up with a plan that is better than the omniscient, perfect creator of the universe is just foolish.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

I know I used this verse in my last post, and I will probably use it in a few more before the year is over, but I love it. It is so humbling, and it illustrates the superiority of God’s ways so beautifully.

Here is the rub… If I know God has my best interest in mind, and if I know that his plan is better than my plan, what is the problem? Why is it so hard to follow his ways?  As much as I hate it, I know the problem is me.  I get in the way of God’s perfect plan.  In his book, The Purpose Drive Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?, Rick Warren says it well –

“You cannot fulfill God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.”

Will you get on your knees with me today and ask God for help surrendering to him and his ways? I know I can’t get there on my own, but I don’t want to miss out on the great things God has designed for my life.

Beloved

How many times per day do we inquire about the price of something? Morning coffee, an on-the-go snack, fuel for our vehicles, a car wash, lunch with a friend, groceries, the electric bill, that cool new shirt, pants, jacket, etc. at our favorite clothing store, etc. In general, we are conscious of the price we pay in exchange for goods and services.

for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)

Today’s reading link: 1 Corinthians 6

I’m without my family for several days and this time alone has presented the opportunity for spiritual renewal, reflection, some loneliness, and even some crying out to God as I seek His will where my will is clearly in the way.

This morning’s reflection is filled with the thoughts of my wife’s smile and the many reasons why I married her. She is a part of me; we are one. My love for her is deep.

I think of my children; their silliness, some of the unexpected things that they say or do and how much joy they bring to this home. My love for them is deep.

When we take a step back to reflect on the love in our lives, what we would do for these people, how deeply we feel for them, and how important they are to us it is a feeling like no other. They are our beloved.

All of this leads us to the cross. Jesus was and is the son of God. Not only did Jesus sacrifice his own life, it was the plan of his loving father for him to be sacrificed. Jesus was beloved in the eyes of his father.

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

When I think about how much love I have for the people in my life, I can hardly fathom the agony of the cross; God observing his son being beaten and tortured as a sacrifice for our sin. There has been, nor will there be any greater price paid for anything, ever. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Actions Have Consequences

When I was in high school there was a night that I remember very well. I remember that night because I was with some of my friends hanging out at one of their homes, as we left we came out to find ice cream all over our windshields. We found out who did it and did what any other teenager would do…we planned an attack of our own.

 

We got eggs and flour and set out to find a car that one of the other guys owned. We eventually did, and I sat and watched as my friends started egging and flower bombing this car. I knew what they were doing was wrong but I kept my mouth shut. We ended the night in an all-out paintball gun war in my parent’s front yard (we lived out in the country) but that’s beside the point. The point was that my friends did something wrong, I knew it was wrong, and I didn’t say a word about it. In the end, it ended in disaster.

 

1 Corinthians 5 talks about this in the church. The chapter specifically talks about sexual immorality but I think this is something that can be taught about any sin. This chapter talks about the hard truth that sin is still a part of our lives and can easily start to take over our lives if we are not watchful. This chapter talks about a man committing sexual immorality by sleeping with his father’s wife. It may be easier to think about this in a different way. What about that time your coworker started to gossip about another person and you just sat there and listened. Maybe you didn’t participate but you knew that it was wrong.

 

Whatever the situation, it is your responsibility to stand up for what is right. God called us to go out to all nations and that could be as simple as your work, your friend’s house, or your own home. We have this responsibility because of love. If we truly love everyone and want to see them go to heaven, we stand up to wrong and with God’s help, we lead people out of the darkness.

 

Romans says that the wages of sin is death, so why wouldn’t we stand up against sin? Why wouldn’t we tell our brother or sister that what they are doing isn’t right? Paul ends this chapter with this, “Purge the evil person from among you.” This stuck with me. We try to focus a lot on spreading the gospel to all nations and but sometimes we disregard the church itself.

 

Christians are imperfect and sin-filled people too. We too can fall right back into the enemy’s grasp. Paul is saying that we need to focus some of our efforts on making sure that the church stays free of the enemy. Let me clarify I don’t mean that the church needs to be free of sin, I am saying that the people who are actively sinning and choosing to do so need to be spoken to. Not only are they acting in a way that leads them away from eternal life, their actions may also lead to false interpretation of Christianity by a new believer.

 

I don’t want you to go around looking at whom you can judge by their sinful behavior but I do want you to look around at some of your close Christian friends. Today, start to pray that the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to any evil that needs to be purged in you and the people who are close to. Just like my story about my car wars experience, I knew what I was doing was wrong and it ended in disaster. If we choose to keep allowing wrong to happen and not standing up against it, it will end in disaster.

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

Today’s picture is from a lesson to the Unit 5 Innovative Entrepreneur class. It was drawn to deconstruct a chapter on the leadership from Chief Hanna’s book Mastering Self: to Lead Self and Others.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul helps us understand the responsibility and power of leadership.  As I read through today’s chapter, Chief Hanna’s principles on the power of leadership continued to surface in Paul’s life.  

Challenge: See if you can draw any similarities from Paul’s account and the image above as you read through the chapter.  If you find any that you’d like to share, or any other scripture that comes to mind, put them in the comments.  

I’ve included some takeaways from the reading below along with some other scripture that came to mind when reading it.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.- 1Corinthians 4:1-2

A follower of Christ is a steward of the truth.  The mysteries of God have been revealed plainly to us in the New Testament. (John 14:26)  The steward’s job is to protect the truth from perversion and proclaim it unfettered. (2Timothy 1:14, Romans 1:16)  The Word of God saves souls so I can see why it is important to steward it well, (James 1:21) but what does it mean to be a faithful steward?

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. – 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Perhaps the first step in being faithful is to recognize who we are to be faithful to. We are not men pleasers but God pleasers. (Ephesians 6:6-8)  We are slaves of God and we seek our Master’s glory.  We trust his Word and are not ashamed of it.  God is the only one fit to judge.  Comparison is empty if left to us.  Only One can compare rightly.  The Sprit compares us to God’s word.  This is a personal gift to help us each individually.  In the same way, we should not try to unwrap a friend’s birthday gift, we should not attempt to unwrap the Spirit’s gift of comparing others to the Word.  We only need protect the Word and proclaim it. 

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. – 1 Corinthians 4:6-8

Perhaps the second step in being faithful is to admit our position.  We own nothing but that which God has given us.  God has given us everything to steward for His glory.  

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 1Corinthians 9-13

Paul’s proper view of himself places him at the bottom which gives him the personal power to minister, save souls, and bring glory to God.

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? – 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Paul’s example is faithfulness.  Words would not do, therefore Paul sent Timothy as a reminder of the power of a life.  Wisdom is not knowing things.  Wisdom is shown in a life lived well. (James 3:13)  Paul warns that he will inspect lives and discern the presence or absence of the power of God.

United In Christ

Good Morning, today’s Bible Journal post is by my friend and brother in Christ Jeremey Helmer.  Praise! 1 Corinthians 3

As I read through the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians, especially Chapter 3, I can’t help but be reminded of the spiritual journey my wife and I have been on to find a church home since we wed ten years ago. I grew up Catholic while she spent her childhood in Baptist and evangelical churches, so we began our journey miles apart from a theological and liturgical perspective. I think we’ve regularly attended somewhere around ten churches in the ten years we’ve been married. Now, some of the changes were due to relocating from city to city. However, others were admittedly due to the fact that we just couldn’t find a pastor or church that (insert subtle sarcasm) represented a perfect blend of our Catholic/Baptist backgrounds.
Or, to put it another way, since we were both walking away from the faith traditions of our childhoods, we wanted to be sure we found a pastor that was undeniably “right” in both our minds.

Fortunately, through the frustrations of this journey, I’m thankful we’ve returned to Christ as the foundation of our walk together. And now, hopefully we’ve come to a minimal level of spiritual maturity to see the how what we’ve been searching for has been here all along. So with this context in mind, Paul’s opening of Corinthians speaks volumes about spiritual maturity and the roles of the church and its leaders.

The chapter begins with Paul essentially saying, “Look, the fact that there’s division among you regarding which pastor you choose to follow is demonstration that you’re still spiritual infants.” Basically, Paul pointed out that the envy and strife among them should have been evidence that they were completely missing the point. Neither camp was going anywhere fast because they had taken their eye of Jesus as the foundation of their faith. So for Andrea and I, the more we clung to our theological background and held on to our own right-ness, the more prone we were to take our focus off the person of Jesus Christ.

Paul then goes on to explain “Apollos and I are just servants. Don’t boast or brag that you follow either of us. And, even worse, if you can put together a 43-point narrative about why I’m right and Apollos is wrong, you’re even further from the truth.” Several times this past week, I saw a post pop up from a pastor at a small church calling out and refuting some remarks made by Franklin Graham. I won’t go into details on the post, but I was struck by some of the conversations and remarks between sympathizers of the small-town church pastor and fans of Franklin Graham. Each side was firmly entrenched, supporting the leader of their cause to the detriment of their brotherhood and sisterhood. At one point, I too, caught myself thinking “yeah, this guy is completely right, and anyone that supports the other guy just doesn’t have a clue.” It’s so easy to fall into that trap. But then I wondered, “where and how does the reconciliation begin? How could these two sides ever come together to form a body of Christ that would be a beacon of light to the world?”

I could be wrong, but I have to think the communal reconciliation begins the same way that Andrea and I have reconciled our differences through the years – returning to Christ as the foundation, and laying down our entrenched “wisdom.”

Christ Alone ~ Hillsong