September 9, 2023
Passage Read: 1 Corinthians 2-3
Meditation Verse: 3:3
Thought
Jealousy and quarreling are signs of immaturity, of worldliness. Every leader and teacher, their first and only priority is to build people up in Christ and Christlikeness. If they build in any other way, it is misguided and unhelpful at best; at worst it is destructive. The more they lead into Christ, the more quarreling and jealousy should fade away. In Christ, there should be no sides to pick, because we're all seeking the same thing, and there is only one God and one Christ, and they have no quarrel between themselves. The less mature should recognize their immaturity, but of course their immaturity blinds them to that. The mature will need to guide and correct, gently at first, but more strongly if there are people who do not listen.
Application
I should not be jealous of anyone, neither should I quarrel. My goal isn't to impress others or compare myself with others, but to know Christ as completely and closely as possible. I don't need to teach others, but the more I know Christ, the more I want to help others know Him. I don't want to quarrel with anyone, but there will always be those who do.