1 Cor 3:12-15
(NLT) Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of
materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on
the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The
fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work
survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the
builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone
barely escaping through a wall of flames.
The
context of this passage is disciple making, Paul speaks of his planting of
spiritual seed (evangelism) and his co-worker Apollos, who watered the seed;
presumably through teaching, encouraging and spurring on the believers to be
obedient to God’s word. Our firm foundation is a life based on Jesus. Without
this life growing out of relationship with our Lord everything we do is
meaningless. But even with the right foundation what materials are we using to
build with? Are we investing our energies, expertise, and hard work into
building with diamonds and rubies? Is our heart attitude and motivation right? There
is a solemn warning in this passage that we can spend our whole lives building
with straw, in other words achieving nothing of value in God’s sight. However
God gives us the capacity to do even the most menial of tasks in such a way as
to build with gold. Everything we do can be of value to God and helping others
get to know God and grow is clearly highly valued by Him. May we not waste all
God has given us but instead make good use of it to create a something
beautiful for God.
Father help us build today and
every day with precious stones
"However God gives us the capacity to do even the most menial of tasks in such a way as to build with gold."
ReplyDeleteThis is a really encouraging truth.