I Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the minister of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is requires in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
It is amazing to me how different all of us are. God has made us each individually and uniquely suited to serve Him in the way that we do. We have different temperaments, different gifts, different inclinations, and that is good and of God.
I Corinthians 4:1-2 says, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” First of all, when we belong to the Lord Jesus, we are ministers; we are servants. It doesn’t matter how gifted, good, or amazing I am, I am a servant. It doesn’t matter how little I feel that I have; I am a servant. Now, we should give respect where it is due, but Paul is saying that we are servants.
So, we are servants, and specifically, we are stewards. We are entrusted with that which belongs to another and are accountable for it. Everything we have worth anything is of God, and we are merely stewards who are accountable for what we do with what we have. They are called “gifts” for a reason. They were given by the Giver, God Almighty, Who did so by design and on purpose.
I Corinthians 4:7 says, “For who maketh thee to differ from another?” God did that. We are all different and unique. It continues, “And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?” What do you have worth anything that God didn’t give you? The answer is, “Nothing.” “Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” How could I be either jealous or arrogant when what I have has been given me by God? The One Who gives the gift gets the glory.
I Corinthians 3:21 says, “Therefore let no man glory in men.” I Corinthians 4:6 says, “That ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written.” All of us ought to realize that we are each gifted in different ways. I don’t need to judge everyone else by whether or not they share my gifts. Nor do I need to judge myself by the gift or stewardship of another.
Before our own master we rise or fall. He is the One Who judges, and there will come a day when He will judge what we have done and the reason for which we have done it. “And then,” the Bible says, “Shall every man have praise of God.”