TUESDAY, MAY 16
1 Corinthians 4:3-5
2 Timothy 2:15

"…but he that judgeth
me is the Lord."

THE JUDGMENT THAT MATTERS

1 Corinthians 4:3 must not be interpreted as arrogance or vain bravado but a principle by which every Christian is to abide by. The term "judged" (from anakrinō) is a legal term which describes how one is judged before a court or a committee of inquiry. As we do the Lord’s work, we will often be assessed intensely by others. How then should we respond to the praise or criticism of others?

Firstly, we must be aware that the judgment that matters is not man’s. Men often view things with tainted glasses. They may sometimes not mean what they say. Even if they are sincere with their words, their assessment of a man’s faithfulness may not be entirely accurate. Their understanding of each person’s situation and weaknesses may also not be perfect. Therefore, whenever we receive praise, we must not let those words puff us up. We must never labour simply to get the praise of man (Gal 1:10). At the same time, we must not be depressed when wrongly or harshly criticised. Was not our Master called "Beelzebub" during His earthly ministry (Matt 10:25)? The opinions of men ultimately do not matter.

Secondly, Paul was wary of trusting his own self-appraisal. He was aware of the sin principle that dwells in every man. Our heart is often deceitful, and we tend to excuse our own faults. We are often not objective in evaluating ourselves and thus must submit to the appraisal of an impartial judge.

Who then is this impartial judge? He is none other than God Himself. Since we are His lowly servants, it is His judgment that ultimately matters. He sees what others cannot see. Nothing is hid from Him. Thus, we must be careful to serve in a manner that is "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15).

THOUGHT: I must abase all pride and false modesty.
PRAYER: Lord, are my ways pleasing to Thee?