What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
– 1 Cor. 3:5-9
I must remember that I am to work to God, not to men, in proclaiming the Gospel. My duty is to testify before men, but I must gaze at God while I am doing so. His approval, not theirs, is what matters. And He is the one who does the actual work in their hearts, not me. This is so freeing–others’ hearts are in God’s hands! It’s not up to us!
I am just faithful to contribute the part he has ordained–but this is really for my blessing, more than theirs, that I may be honored to partake of doing God’s work. “Each will receive his wages according to his labor.” As a self-benefit-wired person, it is somehow appeasing to know that God is getting the blessing and sharing it with me generously, not me fetching a soul for God and bringing it to him.
But this does not produce laziness, for focusing on God rather than people when preaching the Gospel only increases our motivation. “The love of Christ compels us.” It’s refreshing to remember who is our real audience when we are preaching the Gospel. It’s for his sake that we proclaim him.
Ben Taylor 