Friday, August 21, 2026
2 Corinthians 10:12-18
12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ.15 Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
I’m going to let you in on a secret: pastors are people.
Gasp!
For as long as I have been involved in church work, I have heard pastors and ministry leaders brag about the size of their churches. I have also watched people gather around the “successful” or “trendy” pastor at a conference, as if bigger numbers or a bigger platform automatically mean they have the corner on the market of Jesus.
There really are cults of personality in churches.
As it turns out, something similar seems to have been happening in first-century Corinth. The church was growing, and a number of leaders were involved in that work. Much of that work was good. But underneath it all, there appears to have been a spirit of comparison and self-congratulation, as if certain leaders were personally responsible for the growth of the community.
Paul reminds them—and us—that we are where we are because God has placed us there. God empowers us there. God sustains us there. Paul is not saying our contributions do not matter. He is reminding us that God gets the credit, and we are called to remain humble. One of the worst things that could happen to the church would be for it to simply mirror the hierarchy, competition, and personality-driven dysfunction of the world around it-namely the temple.
Jesus did not come to re-create the same old systems. Jesus came to create something new, with people made new by the gospel.
So trust that the place and ministry God has called you to matters. Your skills, abilities, and work matter, too. Just do not forget that, in the end, it is Christ’s church. The goal is not a collection of Christian influencers. The goal is one big Jesus family, shaped by grace, humility, and love.
What has God called you to? How can you tell when your work has become more about you than about Jesus?
– Pr. Jason
Jesus, teach me to kneel as you knelt, to serve my neighbors with humility and love. Show me how to use the vocation you have given me to build your kingdom, not my own. Amen.
