In 1 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV), the Apostle Paul asks, “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” Although Paul asked the Corinthians this question thousands of years ago, it’s pertinent for Christians today.
Why is this question relevant? The question reminds us:
- We don’t create what we have; we use and consume what God gives us.
- Whether we have a little or a lot, there’s no need to covet other people’s blessings or crow about one’s own.
Remember as children when we opened our bag of party goodies and compared what we had? We swapped stuff: I’ll give you this if you give me that. And we boasted about stuff we had that others didn’t.
As adults, pride and similar conceits can cloud one’s view of gratitude to God and compassion for others. Our spiritual and material possession: houses, cars, jobs, and quality of family life are gifts from God according to faith, work, and God’s purpose.
Paul explained to the Corinthians that God makes us differ from one another in possessions and spiritual gifts according to the manifestation of faith with works. These God-given differences influence our path and journey in life.
If it pleases God that one is born into a poor family and another into a rich family, who are the rich to look down on the poor? If it pleases God that one is born black and another white, and another red, all have reason to praise Him as they are. God is a divider of gifts according to His will, not a divider of people and races.
Whether one has no faith, is weak, or is strong in faith, we have nothing that God didn’t give.
Paul’s journey in using His gifts and living his life differed from many others who spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He reminded the Corinthians believers of their full stomachs and comfortable places that resulted in self-conceit and dishonor of God. They thought less of the struggling believers who barely made ends meet. Paul and others hungered, suffered, and had no dwellings while spreading the Gospel but didn’t envy those with comforts and much more.
Even with his lack and sufferings, Paul used what he received from God to be a strong witness about faith in God and His mercies and grace.
Paul asks the question today, “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?”
What a humbling question!
Paul’s question is a great reminder for Christians to remain humble in all God-given gifts and provisions. To think more of oneself based on God’s provisions is to dishonor God with self-conceit as if God had nothing to do with it.
God is the source of all blessings.
Matthew 7:7 (KJV) God says, “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
Everything that I have, faith, love, talent, family, and possessions comes from God.
What can we do with what we have?
Thank God for His blessings.
Share with others.
Think no more of oneself than of others.
Like Paul, we can witness the goodness and salvation of Jesus Christ.
Be well.