1 Corinthians 4:21 - Big Stick

 

1 Corinthians 4:21

NKJV

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

 

NLT

Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?

 

Mathew Poole’s commentary, says “Which will ye rather choose? That I should come unto you as a father cometh to his child under some guilt for which he must punish and correct him, or as a father cometh to his child that hath done nothing provoking his displeasure, in love, and meekly? I am not willing to come to you to correct and punish any of you by ecclesiastical censures, which are a rod which Christ hath entrusted to me; I had rather come in love and meekness, that we might mutually rejoice in each other’s society.”

 

I have read that this is one of the real challenges of ministry.  How to confront sin in such a manner as to draw someone toward Christ, speaking truth and love; and not be so harsh and unforgiving as to push them away.  Because to be honest, harshness is at times our natural tendency.  We rank our sins.  My sins are littler than everyone else’s because…well…they’re mine!  If this is our thought, then we’re messed up like a soup sandwich!

 

We need to consider ourselves through the God lens.  God doesn’t rank sins.  A sin, is a sin, is a sin to God.  They’re all the same.  So, that guy on TV who shot somebody?  His sin is the same as my sin of laziness.  That’s pretty tough to think about, but sin is anytime we miss the mark.  Billy Graham once defined sin as “any thought or action that falls short of God’s will. God is perfect, and anything we do that falls short of His perfection is sin” 

 

So if we look at ourselves through that lens, then the question becomes…how do we want the Lord coming to us when we sin?  Do we want that big stick up side the head; or do we want a loving, gentle reproof?  Today’s verse starts out, “what do you want?”  Well…what do you want?

 

I don’t want the stick,

cej