INTERSECT

Stewardship: Hearing the right Voice (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)

A pastor named Paul Tripp recounts a story from early in his ministry when a critical man from his congregation expressed dissatisfaction with his preaching. He handed him a set of cassette tapes and encouraged him to mimic the preachers on the tapes. Frustrated, disheartened, and determined to show the man up, within a few weeks Paul found himself preaching directly to that individual. Thankfully, an older lady in the congregation identified the situation and confronted Paul for preaching to please a person. She told him, “Monday, you get up, forget that person, and study God’s Word. Then you preach what God gives you with confidence and joy, or we’re all in trouble.”

This is an example of what can happen when other people dominate and control our lives through their judgments and opinions. The old lady gave that young man some great advice by reminding him to listen to the right voice. As Christian stewards, we are accountable to God for our lives; we should listen to His voice and thereby live with a different perspective and purpose:

Perspective: success is defined by faithfulness to the Master.

The basic definition of stewardship is management. A steward is someone entrusted with resources belonging to another. A steward recognizes what he is managing is not his own and takes his management responsibility seriously.

When it comes to stewardship, faithfulness is crucial. Scripture makes it clear people can and often live as poor stewards. Each person in God’s Kingdom has been given a unique set of talents, abilities, and experiences to be used in expanding the church in the world. How should we manage those resources?

Consider two simple principles from Jesus’ Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30:

• Be faithful in the small things. When a person is faithful in a little, it means he or she will be faithful in much. Conversely, when a person is unfaithful in small things, he or she will be unfaithful when tasked with greater things or responsibilities.
  

• Be faithful for the long term. You can only prove your faithfulness over time. This is why, for example, the Bible indicates church leaders shouldn’t be chosen hastily: “Lay hands quickly on no man.” Stewards undergo proving or testing. A good steward remains faithful to his master’s wishes over a long period of time.
  

When it comes to stewardship, consider three important areas of your life:

• Time. You and I have limited time on earth. We don’t know how long our lives will be. Scripture tells us life “is but a few days and full of trouble.” Life is a vapor, a wisp of smoke. Even if we live 70 or 80 years, life vanishes quickly.
  

• Talents. God creates each person uniquely; you are gifted and possess particular talents. Ultimately, these talents should not draw attention to you but glorify God. Using your talents wisely is the essence of stewardship.
  

• Treasure. We often use the phrases my money, my house, or my car, without a second thought. While you may hold title to these possessions, ultimately, everything Christians have belongs to the Lord. He simply allows us to use it for a time, for His purposes.
  

One author posed this question: “After your death, if a biographer were to scan your canceled checks for insight into the kind of Christian you were, what conclusion would he or she reach?” Remember, the primary ingredient of good stewardship is faithfulness. Are you being a good steward of time, talents, and treasure?

Purpose: commendation from God is your motivation for service.

At least six times in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Paul made references to judgment:

• “That I should be judged by you or any human court”
  

• “I do not even judge myself”
  

• “I am not thereby acquitted”
  

• “It is the Lord who judges me.”
  

• “Do not pronounce judgment before the time”
  

• “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or any human court.”
  

This last phrase, especially, is packed with spiritual freedom. If we are honest, most of us would write it this way, “But with me it is a very big deal that I should be judged by you or any human court.” We place too much weight on the opinions of other people. Peer pressure is not just for children and teens; it exists in the lives of adults as well. When the opinion of others controls us, we do not live in spiritual freedom but in bondage. Paul was able to say the judgments of others didn’t get under his skin or control his life. He brushed them off and kept going about the Lord’s work.

I am a professor. At the end of every semester, students are required to submit an online evaluation of my class. They answer tough questions about whether test questions were fair and appropriate, if I was prepared, whether class interaction was beneficial, and so on. Our academic dean reviews these evaluations every year. He also encourages me to review them as well—with humility and an ounce of take-them-for-what-they’re-worth. I admit sometimes human nature takes over, and I catch myself dwelling on negative comments, latching on to the criticism and brooding over it. It’s a good reminder that if we are not careful, we can allow another person’s judgment to dominate our thinking.

Maybe this is happening in your life right now. Don’t misunderstand me; you don’t want to ignore completely what other people think, especially trusted friends, parents, your spouse, and children. However, you should not let another person’s judgment control your life. Who is that person for you? If you view your life through the lens of stewardship, you will be able to absorb these judgments and keep going. Why? Because these people ultimately cannot judge you—only God.

“In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted.” Paul declared that nothing stood against him in terms of evidence. He was unaware of anything against him in the court of public opinion. To his best knowledge, his life was God-honoring. So much, that he drew attention to his lifestyle in verses 16-17, urging readers to “be imitators of me. That is why I sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ.”

No thoughtful reader can suppose Paul sought to abolish all functions of judgment in the church. If we roam more broadly through Scripture, it is easy to find passages that prohibit judging while other passages command it. For example, on one hand Jesus said not to judge, or you also will be judged according to the standard you use (Matthew 7:1-2). On the other hand, He said to stop judging on appearance and make a right or sound judgment (John 7:24). This tension runs strong throughout the New Testament.

The point is this: the human verdict on our lives isn’t what matters ultimately. It is God’s place—His alone—to be the final and authoritative judge of my life and yours. Stewards need to be reminded often to listen for the right voice and live by it.

About the Writer: Dr. Barry Raper pastors Bethel FWB Church near Ashland City, Tennessee. He also serves as program coordinator for ministry studies at Welch College and is a member of the Tennessee Christian Education Board. Barry and his wife Amanda have five children: Hannah, Tre, Emma, Caroline, and Elijah.