Read: I Corinthians 10:14-33
Think: From the very beginning of I Corinthians, Paul has been gently pressing his readers by repeatedly discussing, and now by this chapter, boldly challenging them to do—not what they want to do or can do but—what is best for others. Today he puts it bluntly, “Don’t be concerned for your own good, but for the good of others.” After giving numerous examples, Paul finally shares his reasoning saying, “I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many might be saved.” Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians has a simple, common theme: The life of a Christian is not His own!
Act: Many of you might (or might not) know that on my honeymoon, I had my last drink. In fact, my sobriety date is the day after my wedding Anniversary (January 29)! At that moment of relapse, I realized that I could never drink—ever. So I asked Roger (my husband who did not struggle with alcohol) if he would agree to never drink with me for the rest of my (and his) life! That’s a BIG “ask.” But in that brief moment, he didn’t hesitate. He said, “Of course.” We obviously didn’t know on our honeymoon that, years later, I would write 15 books about God’s power to change a life, or that I would give my testimony on network television in front of 2.5 million people, or that I would speak to 40,000 people at a Billy Graham Crusade in our home town of Cleveland. But in hindsight, we are both confident that if Roger hadn’t decided on our honeymoon to “never drink with me for the rest of my life,” I would have most likely followed the path of my relatives who were alcoholics until their death. I am certain that Roger’s sacrifice became the accountability I needed, not only change my family’s legacy, but to be the catalyst for leading 1000’s to Christ over the next three decades. Our story is a current example of how Paul’s conviction that if we do what is “best for others,” many will saved! What is God saying to you through these verses or even through our story? I’d love to hear your responses to today’s question at becky@viewpointchurch.org.
Pray: Dear Jesus, I want to be a difference-maker. I realize this it might require that I take a step toward You and do something that is not about me, but about others. I am ready. Give me a plan. Give me a push. I love You. Amen.
Be full of faith today!
