Reflections for Lent

1 Corinthains 3:10-23 NRSV

According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Let each builder choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— the work of each builder will become visible, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If the work that someone has built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a wage. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast about people. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

One-fourth of the New Testament is comprised of the letters written by the Apostle Paul to members of the new churches he established all around the Mediterranean Sea. These letters are a rich source of the history of Christianity, and Paul has been called the “father” of the communities of faith he founded and encouraged to grow. In his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul gave advice still relevant to us in our day. He warned of the human tendency to think ourselves “wise”. He cautioned against creating quarrels, disputes, and factions in the church. 

“No more boasting about human leaders”, he wrote, “or elevating one above another.” Paul’s message was to elevate Jesus alone as the source of our understanding and hope. That was true then and is true today. 

~Sally McKibben~ 

Father, we are thankful for guides like Paul who point us to Jesus, the One who taught that the greatest commandment is love: love for all that is good and worthy of praise and love for our fellow men. Give us the will and the wisdom to keep these commandments. Amen