Real Life ~ Real Answers

A Christian Hypocrite

Susan (who is saved, attends church faithfully and teaches SS) looks forward to her daughter’s basketball season starting. Her daughter has really improved in her ability to play the game since last year and Susan thinks her daughter will get a lot of playing time this year. The first game day arrives and as Susan anxiously waits for the game to start in the stands she cheers for her daughter during the warm-up time. Finally it’s time to start and as the starting line up is announced, her daughter is not one of the girls who is starting. Susan wonders why and by the time the first 5 minutes of the game has passed she becomes angry. She moves from her spot in the bleachers to sit closer to the coach and begins yelling for him to put her daughter in and goes on and on about how good of a player she is. The coach ignores Susan during game play, but during a time-out takes a minute to ask her kindly if she would not yell at him like that during the game. Susan becomes furious and begins to rant and rave over the fact that her daughter is not playing.

How well is Susan demonstrating what she believes?

What is she showing by her words and actions?

How should Susan respond? What would be a godly response in this situation?

1 Corinthians 13:3

Again this verse points to the heart motivation of why do I do what I do? The example in this verse is giving away ALL I have to others. Yet if this is done with out love, it means nothing! Even if I give my life for Christ, if it is done without love, I gain nothing. These first 3 verses really point to the heart motivation of service and sacrifice. So ask yourself why do you serve? Why do you sacrifice? Is your heart motivation to show Christ's love?

1 Corinthians 13:1

Verse 1 shares with us how important our heart's motivation is. What is your motivation for serving in the church? For caring for your family? Is it love? Is it to show Christ's love to others or is it to gain popularity or be praised? The challenge today is to evaluate your motives behind your service to the body of Christ and to your family. Pray the Lord will reveal any area of service that is done for the wrong motivation and then repent and seek to serve with the right motivation ~ love.

Our Example/Our Motive

As we begin to study the "love chapter," we find that we need to check our motives. Why am I doing what I'm doing? What is motivating me to care for my family, serve in the church nursery, volunteer for church projects, etc....? We find in Scripture that Christ is our supreme example in everything. How can you check if Christ-like love is your motive? Ask yourself these questions-Are you thinking of yourself when serving or others? Are you willing to sacrifice for others? Do you desire praise for your service? Please join us next week as we begin discussing verse 1.