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1 Corinthians
4:3-4
NKJV
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged
by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
NLT
As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by
you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this
point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord
himself who will examine me and decide.
Paul
here is saying that it doesn’t matter what the world thinks of him, that he doesn’t
even judge himself; the Lord does. Don’t
take this the wrong way. We should care enough
about what the world thinks to show them what Jesus looks like in each of
us. But as believers, our judgement is
by the Lord….that’s a whole lot scarier judgement than anything the world can
heap on us. Understand what Paul understood,
just because our conscience is clear…doesn’t mean we’re right.
I can’t
tell you how many times I have said, “I don’t care what others think about me”. In the past it was used as an excuse to do and
say what I wanted, regardless of the feelings of others. As I came to the Lord, my attitude about this
changed. I believe as a Christian, I
have a responsibility to show love to others (speak the truth of Jesus but do
it in love). For example, a while back I
had a good friend pass away and I made the comment that “God has a plan for
each of us that we don’t always understand”.
His wife proceeded to tell me how mad she was at God in that
moment. Was there truth in my statement?
Certainly. Did it need to be said at that
moment? Absolutely not! What his wife needed was for someone to cry
with her in that moment. Words we say in
every situation have an effect, our application of those words will tell what
the effect is.
How will
you use your words today?
Doin’
better,
cej
