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Paul starts the verse out by stating "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." In this context Paul is talking about being trusted by God to deliver the real message and being faithful to deliver it. However, I think that we can also take this and relate it to how we should act in our day to day lives. As leaders, people put their faith in us, and we owe it to them to be faithful in delivering on our responsibilities. Being able to be dependable and faithful are key attributes to strong leadership. They are also key attributes of being a good Christian.
Beginning in verse 3, Paul addresses the topic of judgement. I am always humbled when I read this part of the chapter. Paul states that he doesn't care if people judge him, that the only judge that matters is God. This is a great truth that should be a guiding principle in how you act on a daily basis. How often do we make decisions out of worry of what others might think? How many of the leadership decision that you have made would be different if you only had to answer to God? Additionally, when you need to make a decision that impacts those around you, what percent of the time do you look to others opinion vs. the opinion of God while you are in the decision making process?
The reason I asked those prior questions is that in the next verse Paul makes a great point...Verse 4 states, "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." If we look for others' approval when we are making decisions, we can convince ourselves that we are doing what is best, yet miss the action that God would have us take instead. Don't be fooled by a clear conscience, self rationalizing can allow you to defend actions that are, in reality, un-Godly choices.
The third main point that Paul makes at the beginning of the chapter is to not fall into the trap of judging others. It is so easy, especially when you are in a leadership position, to pass judgement on people. While you will have to make decisions based on information that you have, don't extend those decisions to pass judgement on the people attached to those actions. Paul reminds us that the Lord will judge when he comes and He will "bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. In reality, this takes the pressure off of each of us, as leaders. Our job is to make objective decisions based on our observations....period. We can not know what is going on within a persons heart or head that have motivated them to take the actions. It is just as easy to give credit to a person who committed "good" acts, for unethical reasons as it is to discredit a "bad" action performed with godly intent. That is why only God, who is witness to all sides is the only true "fair" judge.
Pride goes hand-in-hand with judgement. Paul transitions into this topic in verse 6. He reminds us to stick to "what is written" so you don't take pride over another. This is a reminder that everything comes from God, but if we are not vigilant, we can begin to believe that we are the source of the success as a result of our decisions. He points out that nothing truly separates one man from another, other than the opportunity that God has presented, and how obedient you are in following his word.
Finally, Paul points out that he is a spiritual father to the people in Corinth and they should look to him as an example of how to stay accountable to Christ. Through the end of the chapter he warns against people becoming arrogant. He suggests that they look to their spiritual examples as a point of reference and understand that there will be consequences if they stray too far from where the Lord wants them to live. Do you have a "spiritual father" that you can use to keep you grounded? Do you refer to the Bible in order to make sure your flesh does not begin to take control?
Chapter 4 of 1 Corinthians is a very powerful chapter for leaders. Leadership makes you vulnerable to many pitfalls. The power that comes with Leadership makes it easy to believe that the success in the decisions that you make are all to your credit. It makes you feel like you have the right to place judgment on people because you are responsible for the outcome. It makes you open to believing that the results that happen are due to you. Finally, it makes it easy for you to stop looking to God and others to keep you grounded in what is right, in order to do what you want and rationalize your actions away.
After re-reading this chapter, I have decided that I should compare my actions weekly to the guidance that Paul gives:
1. When I make decisions, am I more worried about how others will judge me or how the Lord would judge me.
2. Am I using my judgement when I'm making decisions or am I being judgmental in how I deal with others?
3. Do I convince myself that I deserve the credit for my success and that I am better than those around me, or do I understand that I am truly successful in how close I listen to the Lord and obey his direction? All material success is a gift that can be taken away as easily as it is given (see the book of Job if you don't believe me)
4. Do I have strong spiritual leaders that I can hold myself accountable to that will keep me grounded in what my actions should be, and have the power to get me back in line if I stray?
