Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

1 Corinthians 4:9-13

For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

Paul specifically mentioned in this passage that when we become Christians, "we have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men." No matter you are prepared or not, not matter you like it or not, as soon as you become a Christian, you are made a spectacle. I first understood this when I was in college. A group of classmates who were good friends often got together to chat about anything and everything. One time, when we got together, one of the classmates told me: "I don't care if other people make mistakes, but you can't make mistakes because you are a Christian." I suddenly realized that becoming a Christian is really a serious matter.

We often overlook the fact that people of the world are watching what we are doing, and they expect to find the answers to life from us. Do we understand what people of the world expect from us? No matter we are prepared or not, we have already become a spectacle. The hearts of people will turn back to God because of us, and they may also turn away from God because of us. Let us ask this about our faith: "Am I a true Christian who's following the Lord? In my life, is pleasing God more important than anything?"

Paul was a great example for us. Even though, from the perspective of people of the world, Paul was like a "refuse of the world," he didn't mind it at all, because he knew that his objective was God. He didn't value how people of the world thought of Him, but only how God thought of him. May God help us, let us value what God thinks of us when we are serving Him. When we come before God's judgment seat, we hope that He will say to us: "You are a good and faithful servant." Can others really see the example of Christ from us? Let us live for the Lord starting today!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you came to the world and suffered on our behalf. Throughout the generations we've seen so many of your disciples sacrificed themselves to follow your example, so we ask that you also help us to follow the example of Paul to manifest the form of Christ in our lives. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!