Did anyone besides me notice there was a lot in I Corinthians about how God’s message is “foolishness” to the world? That’s not what I’m blogging about, but I did make note of it. Something I want to focus on more later. It’s never been truer than it is today, huh? Join us in Word Wednesday and share your favorite verse from I Corinthians in the comments below, then come back next week for a peek at II Corinthians.
I Corinthians 3: 6-9 (NIV)–I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
I don’t know about you, but I used to feel very guilty about the fact that I wasn’t out on the streets, waving tracts and preaching the Gospel. The fact is, I am not really good at witnessing. I get tripped up so horribly that most people would probably think I was either having a seizure or attempting really bad street mime.
What I am good at is teaching Bible study. I love it. The interaction with others, diving deeper into the Word, digging out God’s little treasures, hearing how God has spoken to others… Now that really lights my fire.
But still… I used to look at others and think I didn’t measure up because I wasn’t evangelizing. And then a friend pointed me to this verse and said, “If we were all evangelists, who would disciple? If we were all out winning people to Christ, who would help them grow after they got there?” Hm. As it turns out, each of us has a role, and as long as we are doing what God calls us to do, we shouldn’t look at the gifts of others and feel like failures.
Is that to say God will never use me to evangelize? Nope. And I’d better be open to it when He does. No saying, “But God, that’s not who I am.” Because He will equip me if He calls me to do that. My prayer for you today is that you clearly see your role in God’s Kingdom… and that you exalt in what He’s called you to do!
-JB
Dawn Lucowitz says
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 – My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
I really love this. It kind of ties into what Jodie was talking about a little bit. I love that we are being told it’s not about the words we use, or how persuasive we can be, but we need to allow God to do the work. Of course we need to allow him to use us however he sees fit, but it’s still him doing the work. I also love this so much because over the last few years, I’ve really grown and matured in the Lord. I’ve read and studied the bible in ways I never had before. I’ve learned so much about God, his love and his power. I realized though, that I didn’t learn it through anyone’s fancy talking or preaching. I learned it through the actions of so many I have encountered. I’ve learned it through the lives so many are living. Talk can be really cheap…it can be faked, but actions and real love are things that I can see and feel.
Jodie says
AMEN! I can’t remember who said it, but there’s a quote, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read” or something like that. Very true.