Question: How
many Christians it takes to change a light bulb? Answer: 10. One to change the
bulb, and 9 to say, “We liked the old one better.” Evangelical believers have
an opinion about everything and everyone in God’s Church. The judgments often
start over Sunday lunch or in the car on the way home from worship. And this is
one way the devil distracts us, in order to steal the seed of God’s Word immediately
after it’s been planted.
If you’ve ever… 1) given a thumbs down to the worship music because it was too loud or too bland, too fast or too slow, too traditional or not traditional enough; 2) ranked the choir, worship team, preacher, and kid’s church experience (not necessarily in that order) on a scale of 1-10, according to your personal preferences; 3) If you’ve ever scored the sermon by comparing it to the podcast you heard earlier in the week from a preacher with an internationally acclaimed ministry, then you know what I mean.
Yeah, me too. A critical spirit exposes our fallen, hypocritical nature. It’s just that Christ has given us a new nature, and Paul warns in these verses against the dangers of pronouncing such verdicts. It turns out that only Jesus gets to judge those who are called by his name. He has given some of us to be apostles and teachers, and if our words are not found to be biblical, confessional, and trustworthy, then by means call us to repent and refuse to listen until we do! This sort of judgment is good and necessary.
But we are all servants of
the Lord (v. 1) and therefore fellow servants and encouragers of one another. There
is only one Master who can ultimately judge our motives and effectiveness. Paul’s
detractors in Corinth evaluated him by superficial standards that had nothing
to do with the gospel. His critics judged Paul’s apostleship insufficient because
he wasn’t as polished and eloquent as the “super-preachers” that their wealthy,
well-educated, congregation was used to. But so what?If you’ve ever… 1) given a thumbs down to the worship music because it was too loud or too bland, too fast or too slow, too traditional or not traditional enough; 2) ranked the choir, worship team, preacher, and kid’s church experience (not necessarily in that order) on a scale of 1-10, according to your personal preferences; 3) If you’ve ever scored the sermon by comparing it to the podcast you heard earlier in the week from a preacher with an internationally acclaimed ministry, then you know what I mean.
Yeah, me too. A critical spirit exposes our fallen, hypocritical nature. It’s just that Christ has given us a new nature, and Paul warns in these verses against the dangers of pronouncing such verdicts. It turns out that only Jesus gets to judge those who are called by his name. He has given some of us to be apostles and teachers, and if our words are not found to be biblical, confessional, and trustworthy, then by means call us to repent and refuse to listen until we do! This sort of judgment is good and necessary.
Does it really matter what a clay pot looks like as long as it faithfully delivers Living Water? In that regard, we are all called to be jars of clay (see 2 Corinthians 4:7). We are flawed but useful vessels sent to pour out God’s truth, hope, grace, and more to a world in need. So let’s not be overly critical of the container, but rather rejoice in its uniqueness and celebrate the blessings it holds.!
Prayer: Father, keep us from a critical spirit that would cast doubt on the value and gifts of others, and from the temptation to live for the approval of others more than your approval. Give us hearts that are humble and hopeful as we await your coming again and the judgment of all things. Until then, make us faithful servants and stewards of your mysteries. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
