Living as a faithful Christian involves putting up sometimes with unfaithful behavior of other Christians.
I’m talking about behavior such as nit-picking, critical words of others who don’t like us and who will grasp at straws to find something about which to complain.
Fortunately, this doesn’t happen much for most of us. When it does, though, it can be very frustrating.
So when this has happened to you, how have you responded?
With fire?
Or with grace?
With the Silver Rule that says do unto others as they have done unto you? Or with the Golden Rule?
The Apostle Paul wrote about this subject in today’s reading from the One-Year Bible. He and Barnabas had been criticized for accepting financial support in the past for their ministry, apparently by people who thought he and Barnabas should have secular jobs to support themselves with ministry being only on a volunteer basis.
I Corinthians 9 indicates that other traveling ministers were financially supported by churches, even to the point of providing travel and food expenses for some of their wives.
Yet Paul was criticized apparently as a money-seeker.
Wow.
He walked away from a cushy living as a Pharisee and into a life of financial and physical turmoil. Yet he has to put up with this garbage….
It would have been understandable from a human standpoint if he had said “Phooey with it!” and taken a full-time secular job, attending church on Sunday morning and not much else.
But Paul’s calling from the Lord and desire to see souls saved was greater than his desire to not be treated poorly.
And so, he endured the foolish, double-standard talk and kept loving, teaching, worshipping AND working as a tentmaker to provide his own financial support.
Here’s how he summed up the motive for continuing in his mission:
“But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.” (I Cor. 9:12)
Are you choosing to put up with unfaithful, hurtful words of people rather than hinder the gospel of Christ?
Critical, nit-picking words that could steal your joy if you allowed them to?
Anybody zealous for personal ministry is going to hear such. I certainly do.
What we must remember is that it’s not about us.
It’s about Christ and about those who need Him.
Please, put up with the random, hurtful ramblings of the few who don’t get it when it comes to church mission and how you participate.
That way, you won’t walk away from the call on your life to get the gospel to those who want hope for their hurting hearts.
As always, I love you
Martin
