“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” — 1 Corinthians 3:7
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Tyler Herro is riding high with the Miami Heat. He is not a regular starter and is not always in the spotlight, but he is still scoring a lot of points (20.7 per game this season), playing a lot of minutes (32.6) and helping his team win a lot of games (53 in the regular season). When announcements are made before tipoff, it’s easy for Herro to get jealous of the starters when their names are announced, but he knows his team depends upon his ability to play well in spurts and play more than one position. The higher goal of winning a championship is more important than personal recognition.
Herro was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season. Like Herro, the Lord calls Christians to be willing to serve Christ in the background when it’s God’s will, and be content in our calling. We don’t have to be a worship leader or pastor to be a vital part of God’s Kingdom. In the Corinthian church, they had a star-studded roster of influential leaders, but Paul reminded them to set their minds on a higher purpose and to be willing to come off the bench if God commanded.
The Lord says we are immature if we focus on personal statistics or how often our name is called. “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).
If we are willing to serve without applause, then more people hear about Christ and we jump toward spiritual maturity. If people forgot Paul’s name but trusted Christ as Savior, then he rejoiced. “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5-7).
How are you playing your role within God’s Kingdom?
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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