The Corinthians had put the messenger who had brought this gospel message to them under scrutiny. They had analyzed his approach, his speaking style, and even his personal characteristics and had concluded there was nothing at all remarkable about him. If his message was truly sent by God, shouldn’t there have been something more special about him? Paul’s response is that the believers were missing the point. It is exactly because the message is so important that the messenger is so weak. Just like a treasure in an earthen vessel, it is not the fragile, breakable, disposable vessel that matters most but the treasure it carries inside. If that were not the case, the vessel might think it was the treasure! The life of the disciple must be modeled on the gospel itself.
Judging
Thomas Merton
Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy
Ed Stetzer
There is a place and a time to be critical, to challenge people and communities to think through their actions and attitudes. But simply pointing out problems without offering some kind of road map back to effective gospel ministry is neither helpful nor pastoral.
Robert Leighton
Men compare themselves with men, and readily with the worst, and flatter themselves with that comparative betterness. This is not the way to see spots, to look into the muddy streams of profane men’s lives; but look into the clear fountain of the Word, and there we may both discern and wash them; and consider the infinite holiness of God, and this will humble us to the dust.
Francis Frangipane
It is easy to find fault, to despair at all that is wrong in the world or the church, and do nothing. The fact is all people are flawed, all churches have issues and entire cities, even nations, can backslide. The goal for us is not whether we can see what is wrong – that’s important, but it’s not the goal. Our objective is to look squarely in the face of what is wrong and persevere in love and prayer until that which is wrong is redeemed and made right.
Deborah Jo Werklund
The first assumption we should always make is that someone’s heart is good, not evil. Then even if there was poor intentions, your assumption of good can pull them into the light.
James H. Aughey
The ability to find fault is believed, by some people, to be a sure sign of great wisdom, when, in most cases, it only indicates narrowness of mind and ill-nature.
Kris Vallotton
We didn’t get into the Kingdom on the basis of our own works, you got in though His. The challenge is once WE get into the Kingdom, we want everyone else to get in through theirs.
N.T. Wright
The world is always assessing people, sizing them up, putting them down, establishing a pecking order. And God, who sees and loves all alike, wants the church to reflect his generous, universal love in how it behaves.
Michael Maiden
People with a spirit of offense will watch your life with a jaundiced critical view of all you say and do. They’re ready to pounce on the first thing you say or post they disagree with by unleashing personal attacks are unfollowing you. That is toxic, manipulative behaviour. Remind yourself that God loves them too, and refuse the impulse of responding to them in an ungodly way. Never be seduced into changing your core values, just to gain or keep followers.