1-4But for right now, friends, I'm completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I'll nurse you since you don't seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way? When one of you says, "I'm on Paul's side," and another says, "I'm for Apollos," aren't you being totally infantile? (The Message)
Babies are a special gift and they are to be lovingly cared for and nurtured as the gift that they are from God. However babies are not meant to stay helpless. the very nature of life is that a baby grows to become an adult and to be able to feed themselves and take care of themselves apart from the parents and other adults who nurture and care for them when they cannot take care of themselves. Paul sees the Corinthians as choosing to stay in the baby stage of faith rather than to grow in faith and understanding. So what would Paul like to see happen in their lives? It appears that Paul wants them to begin dealing with one another without concern for who gets what and become selfless in all things. A worthy goal it would seem but is it reasonable for Paul to expect this? After all we are only human aren't we.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- What do you remember about the early stages of your walk with Jesus?
- How do you deal with someone who is old enough to know better but chooses to act like a child anyway?
- What areas in your life might God be inviting you to grow to become more mature?
- What might you do in the next two days that would allow you to make a positive impact upon someone else's life without them knowing that it was done by you?
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