Day 10

Great post Donny! I think it's good to remember and to really understand that our works won't get us into heaven. Our faithfulness will. How we treat others will. I think we get caught up in being so 'connected' ie. I'm a part of this ministry and that ministry, I teach sunday school, I sing on the choir, I take this class etc. that we forget to do a motive check. This brings me to verses 5-7. I chose the Message Bible translation because I think it says it best:

5 So don’t get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the “Well done!” of God.

6 All I’m doing right now, friends, is showing how these things pertain to Apollos and me so that you will learn restraint and not rush into making judgments without knowing all the facts. It’s important to look at things from God’s point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on mere hearsay.

7-8 For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle. Without bringing either Apollos or me into it, you’re sitting on top of the world—at least God’s world—and we’re right there, sitting alongside you!

I especially like the last part of v. 5 about God exposing our inner motives, purposes and prayers. It's a reminder that we must always remain humble which follows what is being said at the end that we can't take credit for ANYTHING! For example, growing up if I would compliment someone on a talent, oftentimes I would get the response "oh that's nothing but God or all the glory goes to Him." It used to annoy me, lol. Just say thank you! But I've since realized that truer words were never spoken. Nothing on this earth belongs to us. He may have put things under our supervision, but it is ultimately His, meaning our lives, our possessions, our jobs etc. Once we are able to truly receive that it will be amazing because we won't let singular circumstances dictate.