Originally posted January 6, 2009:
1 Corinthians 4:7 - For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
Those are 3 good questions to start the day off with.
Who sees anything different in you? There is a sense in which we are unique, one-of-a-kind, special creatures created by God. There has never been and will never be anyone just like you. But, there are many ways in which we are the same. We are all sinners. We are all in desperate need of a savior. And if a Christian, we all inherit salvation because of the One. And having been saved, everything that we have and all that we are is because of what God does in our lives. And thus, we are not different. We are all children who have received blessing upon blessing from our Father. We have no basis to take credit for anything good or valuable in us. And so Paul asks, "For who sees anything different in you?"
What did you have that you did not receive? Or as John the Baptist put it, "A person cannot receive one thing unless it is given him from heaven" (John 3:27, ESV). I need to ask myself this question on a regular basis. When I get arrogant and prideful I should look in the mirror and ask myself: What do you have that you did not receive? Anything good or perfect, good by His standards as opposed to mine, has come down from the Father(James 1:17). It is only His goodness, His grace, His mercy that I can stand on.
If then you received it, why do you boast? With the other two questions in mind, this one is rather self-explanatory!
Who sees anything different in you? There is a sense in which we are unique, one-of-a-kind, special creatures created by God. There has never been and will never be anyone just like you. But, there are many ways in which we are the same. We are all sinners. We are all in desperate need of a savior. And if a Christian, we all inherit salvation because of the One. And having been saved, everything that we have and all that we are is because of what God does in our lives. And thus, we are not different. We are all children who have received blessing upon blessing from our Father. We have no basis to take credit for anything good or valuable in us. And so Paul asks, "For who sees anything different in you?"
What did you have that you did not receive? Or as John the Baptist put it, "A person cannot receive one thing unless it is given him from heaven" (John 3:27, ESV). I need to ask myself this question on a regular basis. When I get arrogant and prideful I should look in the mirror and ask myself: What do you have that you did not receive? Anything good or perfect, good by His standards as opposed to mine, has come down from the Father(James 1:17). It is only His goodness, His grace, His mercy that I can stand on.
If then you received it, why do you boast? With the other two questions in mind, this one is rather self-explanatory!
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