1 Corinthians 4:7 - Be Different

1 Corinthians 4:7
 
NKJV
For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
 
NLT
For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?
 
Paul was addressing the Corinthians pride by asking three questions.  The same three questions can apply to us too.
 
What makes us different from others?  That would seem to be a simple question, wouldn’t it?  Believers are different because the blood of Christ was shed for us…right?  But wait, wasn’t the blood of Christ shed for all?  If you don’t know the answer to that, it is yes. 1 John 2:2 tells us “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”  So back to the original question, what makes us different?  Sadly, as Christians, a lot of times we don’t look any different the rest of the world.  Maybe it’s time for a change in your life.  It’s time to show the world the same love that we as believers were shown that day on Golgotha.
 
What do we have that God hasn’t given us?  If we believe that God is the great provider, then surely we believe that He has given us all we have.  And if all we have was given to us, what do we really own.  I’m not just talking about things here, cause we know He already owns all of that (Psalm 50:10 for every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.)  But lets consider our talents and personality traits, didn’t God give us those too?  How often am I wasting my talents and gifts, because I believe they are mine.  They’re part of who I am, but they’re not mine.  Maybe it’s time to examine ourselves and use what God has given us for the purpose of the gift?
 
Final question, if we are meant to be different from the world and all we have has been gifted to us from God; then what right do we have to brag about it? 
 
Let’s spend our time using what we have been given and learn to apply it like Jesus did.  Speak in love to others; speak in truth to others and love them despite how they present themselves to us.  We can’t change people, we can only tell them about Jesus and love on them where they are.
 
Be different,
cej