Receiving

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

RECEIVING

1 Cor 4:6-7

6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

NIV

 It is important that we do not take pride in any man, not just in one man over against another. Of course, Paul is still talking about how some wanted to take pride in him,  some in Apollos and some in Cephas. It is interesting that it seems this still happened today. There are people who think one preacher is so much better than another, especially when talking about those famous ones, who use the media to spread their message and are overachievers or very prolific writers, producing a plethora of books. However, the point Paul is making is that man is still man, no matter how much work someone produces, or what level of education, or financial success they have achieved. All of us are but sinners saved by the grace of God. Who can compare themselves to God? How can anyone say what they have that they did not receive it from God? All that we are, all that we have, and even all that we are able to do is a result of the work of God in our lives. This should put an end to all boasting about our supposed achievements as though they are a result of our great abilities. However, we should boast about what God has done in our lives. He should be getting all the credit for anything that we do or who we are because we have received it from the hand of God. There is no difference between any of us, in that sense, except there are those who do boast about themselves instead of boasting about what God has done for and in them. We cannot understand this type of thinking, but then again when we think of ourselves we have no abilities to boast about, we have no position in this world to boast about. We have no worldly success to boast about. In fact, we have nothing within ourselves that we can boast about. However, we can boast about how much God has done for us. We can boast about all that he has provided and continues to provide for us. We can boast of how he has always directed us, led us to places of work, of where we live, and to the specific place to fellowship in worship, along with working in our lives, giving us the gifts needed for our place of service within the body. It is God who has bestowed his gift or gifts in us, depending on how he determines, in the time and location he has brought us to, for the common good of those he has led us to be among. It is God who, through the power of the Spirit, manifests his fruit in our lives, to that others might come and enjoy that fruit, getting joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, or goodness from the Lord, through us. It is God who has created us for his pleasure, and to bring him glory. So who can boast in themselves when everything is from God, for we have received everything from God.