Thursday January 21st, 2021
Memorize: Acts 20:35 New Living Translations (NLT)
« “And I, Paul, have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” »
Read: 1 Corinthians 9:1-11 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
1 I am a free man.
I am an apostle.
I have seen Jesus our Lord.
You people are an example of my work in the Lord.
2 Others may not accept me as an apostle, but surely you do.
You are proof that I am an apostle in the Lord.
3 Some people want to judge me.
So this is the answer I give them:
4 We have the right to eat and drink, don’t we?
5 We have the right to bring a believing wife with us when we travel, don’t we?
The other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Peter all do this.
6 And are Barnabas and I the only ones who must work to earn our living?
7 No soldier ever serves in the army and pays his own salary.
No one ever plants a vineyard without eating some of the grapes himself.
No one takes care of a flock of sheep without drinking some of the milk himself.
8 These aren’t just my own thoughts.
God’s law says the same thing.
9 Yes, it is written in the Law of Moses:
“When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don’t keep it from eating the grain.”
When God said this, was he thinking only about work animals?
No.
10 He was really talking about us.
Yes, that was written for us.
The one who plows and the one who separates the grain should both expect to get some of the grain for their work.
11 We planted spiritual seed among you, so we should be able to harvest from you some things for this life.
Surely that is not asking too much.
Message:
I have observed that when some people say they want a coach and/or mentor, what they are actually seeking is a sponsor.
Your coach and/or mentor is not under any obligation to finance you.
If anything, you should be the one gifting him/her, taking his/her children out for a fun day, making yourself available to help in any way you can and so on.
You need their wealth of experience.
Your relationship with your coach and mentor should not be parasitic but symbiotic – as he/she gives to you, you should also give back to him/her.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:11GWT
« If we have planted the spiritual seed that has been of benefit to you, is it too much if we receive part of the harvest from your earthly goods? »
It is your responsibility to make your coach and mentor proud.
Many times, I have had to answer for the actions of my children-in-the-Lord, whether I was aware or not.
It would be unfair to your coach and mentor if you misbehave, because it could bring about a bad public image for him/her.
Finally, even if you become richer, greater and more popular than your coach and mentor, you must remain completely submissive to them.
Jesus said the disciple cannot be greater than the master.
Matthew 10:24
If that is the fellow that God has paired you with for discipleship, no matter what they do, you must remain submissive in line with the word of God, until their death.
David became more famous than Saul, but he never lost his respect for him, not even when Saul was trying to kill him.
Samuel was the one whom God sent to tell Eli about how he would fall, but Samuel never felt that because he had been chosen to replace him, the old prophet was now to be ignored (1 Samuel 3:9-21)
Never dishonor your discipler.
God would not have anyone disrespect His chosen vessels (Psalms 105:14-15) no matter how little and inconsequential you may consider the action.
Learn from the mistake of Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-15).
Yes, Jesus wants us to perform greater works than He did, but that cannot make us greater than He.
Never forget: a disciple may achieve greater feats than his master, but cannot be greater than he (Matthew 10:24 ).
Reflection: Do you have a parasitic or symbiotic relationship with your coach and/or mentor?
Author: Pst E. A. Adeboye.
Text edited by Naomie
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