Family Matters

It is too bad that anything so obvious should need to be said at this late date, but from all appearances, we Christians have about forgotten the lesson so carefully taught by Paul:

God's servants are not to be competitors, but co-workers. In any religious work there are two interests, either of which may be served: the spiritual interest or the natural; the divine or the human; our own or God's. And it is altogether possible to serve our own interests with poured-out devotion. It is possible to serve the flesh even while engaged in the most intense sort of religious activities. The very fact that our activities are religious will sometimes disguise the presence of the rankest kind of selfishness. It is impossible for two servants of Christ to compete as long as the work they are doing is God's work. When the spirit of competition enters, we may be sure that the work of God is no longer being done. God is one; it is wholly impossible for Him to compete with Himself. As long as His Spirit is in control there can be no such thing as competition among those who are under that control. The Spirit achieves cooperation, always, and makes of His servants not competitors, but co-workers.

Verse

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9

Thought

The church, its servants, its people are God's. There is, then, no basis and nor room for competition. Just as there is no competition in the Godhead.

Prayer

Father, varied are the traditions, the interpretation of certain biblical passages, and the gifts of my brothers and sisters in Christ. But we are one family. We are co-workers for Your glory. May I treat them as co-workers not competitors. For Jesus' sa