March 8, 2000
FAMILY BIBLE SERIES:
Live a life that pleases God, and others will follow
___1 Corinthians 3:4 - 4:13
___By Stacy Conner
___First Baptist Church, Muleshoe
___For many of us, the death of Tom Landry presented the opportunity once again, if only for a moment, to become Cowboy fans. There are many in my tribe who in days gone by lived and died with Cowboy wins and losses. After a great Roger Staubach come-from-behind victory, the week would begin with energy as classmates relived the moment. After a loss, we would drag a bit in hopes that next week would be better. Every time I see a highlight of Joe Montana rolling out to his right, I once again hope Dwight Clark will dropthe ball, and the Cowboys will return to the Super Bowl.
___Since Landry was fired by Jerry Jones, my interest in the Cowboys has been casual at best. (My most intense interest was wondering what to do with Sunday evening services when the Cowboys were playing the Bills in the Super Bowl.) My allegiance to the Cowboys was tied to the integrity of the coach. A few weeks ago, we listened and read testimonial after testimonial of the impact Tom Landry had upon the lives of many people. They spoke of quiet discipline, commitment to task, priorities and love. In the rough and tumble world of professional football, Tom Landry was revered by those who knew him best. From the testimony of friends, players and family, Landry lived his life to be judged by a standard higher than the public or himself.
___In the fourth chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul regarded himself as the lowest of servants in the service of Christ, (1 Corinthians 4:1). The word "servant" used in this text is the label given to the lowest servant who pulled at the oars on a slave-driven ship. He stated that the task of his life was to be a servant who served Christ in whatever capacity was required.
___His goal was to serve however needed in order to be seen as a trusted steward of God's message.
___In doing so, Paul was not concerned with the opinions or judgments of others (4:3). If the Corinthians did not find his style as easy to enjoy as another preacher, that was perfectly OK. If his manner was coarse or his conviction of truth intimidating, that was acceptable as well.
___Even though Paul was unaware of any faults, he did not trust his own judgment of himself (4:3-4).
___He demonstrated the prudence of the wise person who confessed that one's true motivation was often difficult to judge. Our sinful nature often enables us to justify actions that are not always purely motivated. "Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness will disclose the purposes of the heart."(4:5)
___The life of the faithful Christian should not be lived in an effort to please others or ourselves, but instead to please the Lord. I think the lives of Coach Landry and Paul will each bear out the fact that a commitment to God will often soften if not remove the judgments of others and ourselves.
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