Who Is Your Judge?
1 Corinthians 4:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
This passage is a very personal look at the heart of Paul, at what motivated him and at what did not motivate him. As we look at his life, let us ask ourselves some questions:
- How much do we care about what men think of us?
- Can we honestly say that it is a very small thing to be judged of men?
- Do we judge ourselves?
- Or do we live for the judgment of the Lord?
- Do we make the mistake of judging things before their time?
- Do we look at the ways things are now and make judgment calls about what is really going on and who should be rewarded?
These are incredibly convicting and challenging verses and questions. We need to be so careful with judgment. We are not the judges of others. Others are not the judges of us. The Lord is the Judge.
He will judge in His time. He will bring to light what is hidden. He will manifest what is in our hearts. He will give the appropriate praise to those who deserve His praise.
Until that time, let us just be faithful to obey and to do the work that God has given to us, knowing that we will stand before the Lord one day.