HUMBLE?

1 Corinthians 4 Lesson for Thursday February 25, 2010

For those of you following our study. First, we do two chapters of Jeremiah and then one chapter of Corinthians. I missed a couple of weeks due to recovery pains from having my left knee replaced. The first three weeks were not especially easy for me. But, now I am doing much better and well into the training for my tandem bike ride with son Bill. It is scheduled to begin some time the week of March 27, 2010. We will be departing from LeClaire, Ia. And, heading toward St. Louis along the MRT (Mississippi River Trails). All you who read this can pray that I get in good enough shape to make the trip. And, also pray that the late March early April weather is cooperative.

This is one of the chapters in the Bible that helps us define “humble”. Note the battle of words for Paul as he writes to the Corinthians about not fooling themselves by pretending to be faithful to the God of the universe. In verses 8-13 he lays it on pretty heavy about their treacherous deception. But, go back to verse 5 where Paul writes the source of my not so famous “Duck Rule”. The “Duck Rule” says that praise and ridicule should run off me like water off a duck’s back. I have not found very many folks who think that is a good rule. They say, how can anyone grow up in this world with a healthy attitude if they have not received some praise along the way. Now, I think encouragement is great. But, praise is a form of judgment. Who is the judge? Certainly not I. Deceiving a child or youth with regard to how they are doing when it is a positive statement might seem on the surface to be harmless or even beneficial. But, when that praise becomes addictive, then we see the problem the Corinthians were having. Do you think that people actually believe they can fool God? Maybe we can fool others for a while. Abraham Lincoln said, “ You can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time”. Mostly I believe we try to fool ourselves thinking we are okay. But, Paul says no! Be humble leave it up to God. God will be our judge. If we are faithful, he will forgive our sins.

We do not need to make ourselves to be like God. And, we can’t. We need to decide to trust and obey so God’s Spirit will be able to use us for His purposes. Verse 20 is key here. It says, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power”.