Reading
“Who says that you are better than anyone else? What do you have that you didn’t receive? And if you received it, then why are you bragging as if you didn’t receive it?” – 1 Corinthians 4:7 (CEB)
Reflection
In 1 Corinthians, Paul asks a question that stops me in my tracks: “What do you have that you didn’t receive?” The implied answer is nothing—everything we have we is a gift.
In our culture, we exalt stories of self-made men and women who started from nothing and achieved success at the highest levels. We encourage people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Certainly, there are many people in our society who have come from difficult situations and accomplished amazing things.
However successful the individual, though, no one succeeds alone. We receive an education in schools we did not build. We eat food we did not grow. We learn work ethic from others who worked hard to provide for us. We breathe air and drink water that we did not create. Everything we have is a gift!
Instead of using these gifts as reasons to think ourselves better than others, as Paul’s audience was doing, we can use them as opportunities for gratitude—to thank God for all the ways we have been blessed.
What do you have that you didn’t receive? Give thanks to God, and look for opportunities to bless others as you have been blessed.
Prayer
God of provision,
All we have is yours,
Held in trust on your behalf.
Help us to recognize the gifts you have provided
And to use the gifts as you desire,
So that we might honor you
And bless your people.
Amen.
