Daily Devotion in I Corinthians 4

Daily Nugget:
The world does not understand Christians. As far as they are concerned, living the Christian life is foolishness to them. The Christian life does not give the unsaved enjoyment, answer their questions, or give them the things they value, so they often write it off as a waste of time.

There is, however, more than one way to see things. With unopened spiritual eyes and minds, the lost see it their way, but God sees things completely differently:

• The unsaved see it silly to follow the teachings of a man who died a long time ago. To a regenerated mind, it is wise (I Corinthians 4:10) to follow the One that paid their fare to a wonderful eternity.
• The lost see it as a sign of weakness (I Corinthians 4:10) to let others get away with doing them harm and not getting even. It is equally unwise, in their eyes, to follow the guidelines from a book with, supposedly, God’s preserved words.
  
  To a saved person and the God in Heaven, it takes unnatural strength not to react the way our flesh wants to and waits on God to deal with a situation as He sees fits. In God’s eyes, it takes an incredible amount of character and faith to take God at His Word and trust that if we obey, He will honor His promises.
• The world hates those that obey God’s Word (I Corinthians 4:10). A believer’s obedience to God’s commandments often convicts the unsaved of their unrighteousness.
  
  The lost do not know how to deal with the guilt they have from their sins. Instead of repenting from their iniquities, they choose to hate those that remind them of their transgressions. In their eyes, their hate invalidates the ones that remind them of their wrong-doing, and their nagging conscience will be silenced.
• The world thinks the faithful, loyal believer to be poor (I Corinthians 4:11-13) and doing the unnecessary. The truth is, the believer could have more than they already have, but the Christians often give away what they have. Many believers do without the finer things in this life so they can serve God in a faraway mission field, work for a minimum wage to teach in a Christian school, or sacrifice to be a pastor. Some believers have even gone to jail rather than deviate from their convictions. The lost do not have a clue why anyone would do such a thing.

The world sees our behavior and scratches their heads. A Christian’s actions and thinking differ greatly from how the world thinks or reacts. It is not how they were taught to be satisfied and “succeed” in this world.

A Christian knows differently, however. A believer has God as his spiritual Father and often sees things the way His Father sees them.

The more obedient a close follower of Christ is, the more God is pleased with him. Who would you rather please: A world with an opinion and “standard” that is always changing and may only be applied for the time we are here on this Earth or the Creator of this world that knows everything and knows what is best for us now and for our eternity?

Today’s Thought:
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” — Author Unknown

Words to Understand:
Defamed: talked badly about; falsely accused
Intreat: ask for; request earnestly
Offscouring: despised; strongly disliked
Puffed up: proud

Today’s Reading:
I Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 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.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 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.
6 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.
7 ¶ 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?
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 ¶ I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17 ¶ 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.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 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.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?