Pride and Prejudice

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:10-18, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
So, it dawned on me that I haven't really told you about the current plan for our daily devotionals (at least for the foreseeable future). This year, I thought we might follow a modified version of the Revised Common Lectionary. Each week we'll have a wide range of readings, with passages typically coming from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament, and the Gospels. 

There will be a common "theme" for each week that should be apparent by the daily readings. In this week's readings, for example, light does not merely illuminate; it brings a changed situation, in which people depressed by the darkness can experience the new day. Yesterday, we saw that the psalmist’s confession of God links light with salvation—"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" The Gospel reading from earlier in the week described deliverance in terms of the nearness of God’s reign, with Jesus (and his followers) overcoming diseases of every sort. Light permits well-being. 

In these scriptural passages light becomes personalized. Psalm 27 speaks of God as “my light and my salvation.” Tomorrow's reading from Isaiah refers to a human agent of vindication but at the same time anticipates the coming of the Child who exercises supreme authority and brings an era of endless peace. In Matthew, Jesus acts powerfully in calling disciples and healing the sick, fulfilling the word spoken by Isaiah. Light is a mode of God’s presence, especially to those who sit in the region and shadow of death.

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With that in mind, how does the Light of God's presence relate to today's reading?

Paul writes to the Corinthians about their tendency to become fractured over matters that reflect pride more than unity toward the cause of Christ. Dissension arises as members align themselves with special-interest groups and key leaders. And he raises a pertinent question: “Has Christ been divided?” He wants the Corinthians to be of one mind and purpose. Specifically, Paul wants them to eschew pride and to support one another in living out the good news. 

Recently, I witnessed a public brouhaha among Christians. All were well meaning, but they disagreed vehemently on a matter of morality. It’s good to disagree and have constructive dialogue, but the ways they expressed their disagreement became counterproductive. Divisive pride led to rival “camps.” A few wise voices tried to encourage members of both sides to behave in a Christian way, but those voices were drowned out. The groups seldom, if ever, affirmed their love or respect for each other. And there was insufficient mention of loving, accepting, and celebrating those at the center of the controversy. When outsiders saw our now dysfunctional family posing, arguing, and demonizing like everyone else in the world, they likely swam away from the boat of shalom—choosing rather to perish. As I watched this public display among Christians, I thought, What have we wrought? We indeed emptied the cross of its power. (I've chosen to withhold all the details of this particular conflict, but we are all probably familiar with similar situations.) 

I take some comfort in knowing that ours is not the first generation to mess up. In fact, it looks like an old family tradition! The redeeming grace comes in our ability to repent, start over, and try to repair the damage. We remain a sinful church in need of redemption. But when we fall overboard, there is plenty of room to get us all back in the boat. 

Reflect on your own pride. Consider the ways your pride might be hindering you from shining out the light of Christ. Reaffirm aloud your humility that all the good in you comes not from your own devices but from Christ within you.

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My fellow Companions, allow me to testify from first-hand experience: When you have a big mouth, it is easy to put your foot in it! This can result in embarrassment and lack of productivity in personal affairs, and it can be a source of sorrow and shame when the heart desires to live in and reflect God’s reign. 

Believe it or not, I can be a prideful man. My life has been an amazing journey, not the least of which has been my realization of God’s amazing grace, sent right down to me. It’s awesome! It’s something to be proud of, but “let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31). My pride can become a big hole in the net I am attempting to cast for people, a net that should have everything to do with God and nothing to do with me. 

Sometimes when I fail, I repent on my own. Sometimes it takes a loving brother or sister, like Paul, to help me get straight. In this passage, Paul corrects the flock without putting them down. He finds a way to show his love for them even as he disapproves of their actions. 

One of the hard-earned realizations I am still struggling to learn is that while I am present in someone's life, I must be seeking to point to Someone, Something greater. It seems so simple, yet so hard to learn: My most effective tool of influence is to slow down, take time to be in the moment, focus on the other, and say, “Tell me more about your journey.” Then I can truly celebrate God’s unique presence and action in other people’s lives. I can share their joys and sorrows and celebrate where their story connects to God’s story—from their unique point of view. 

My prideful self can’t fully explain this, but I’ll tell you something: In those moments, I can be truly wonderful—and it has absolutely nothing to do with me. 


PRAYER:
O God, in everything I say and do, help me to reflect you. Strengthen and inspire me to be a vessel of light that points others to the one who is the true Light of the world.


WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and I have really been enjoying our study through 1 Corinthians. The fact that God continue to graciously move in and through the early church—despite all their dysfunction and conflict—is a source of great comfort and encouragement to me. Our God truly is magnificent! As Psalm 103 declares— "God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love… As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we are made of mud… God's love is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, making everything right for them and their children as they follow his covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said." My take on this Psalm: God sees everything about us, our ups and our downs, are good days are bad, and he continues to love us despite it all. All he asks is that we trust him and look to him for grace.