1 Corinthians 4.8-10 8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. – St. Paul
Long ago, I thought it would be great to work in Human Relations – thinking that dealing with people in the workforce sounded like something that I could do. Boy! Was I wrong! People are weird! And hard to get along with, and fickle and foolish. The irony is, I do work in the arena of human relations – it’s called life.
Think of your family, your friends, your co-workers, your fellow church-goers, the ones with whom you relate – it is almost endless the relationships we have with people; and people never fail – even the very best – to do things we think they would or should never do. And we’re disappointed with them when they do.
Here’s how I know this: just listen to your conversations about the people you know. All of us are experts of how the ones we know could or should do it better…
St. Paul was just one more leader in the Scripture who dealt
with human relations. Paul was clued in to the Gospel and he knew it was his
mission to share the Gospel with other humans. And Paul encountered the worst
responses at times from the very people he sought to enlighten. His Corinthians
were a tough bunch.
I don’t want to say Paul was sarcastic but his sarcasm is hard to overlook. Part of what I think he ran into was a group of people who bought into the Gospel and learned just enough to become dangerous. They ran ahead of him in their pursuit of truth, and their pursuit became their truth. They knew best.
Becoming a believer; a Christian, isn’t learning just
enough to become dangerous – that’s what the world does. The world looks for
experts. The Gospel is for the humble, the broken-hearted, the ones who admit
that without God, their toast. That’s why missionaries are so weird to the rest
of us: why would ANYBODY in their right mind do what they do!? That’s the difficulty
of a Gospel which says: God is God and we are not.
And God expects cooperation – not expert-ism. God expects faithfulness – not arrogance. And God’s expects submission and being teachable – not running ahead in pursuit of control and power, and who knows what else. The Corinthians were very good at making their own way. Too bad it was counter to God’s.
Lord, I think it’s really
about learning patience, humility, honor, and acceptance of Who You really are,
and what You’re really doing. Your presence is so vastly different than
anything I can concoct. May I learn to imitate Paul and trust You. Keep me from
exalting myself and running ahead of You as if I don’t need You – that I have
achieved. Lord, You are the Master of human relations and sometimes I wonder if
You don’t just shake Your head in wonder: Who are these creatures? Amen
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