“whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies–in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11 ESV).
The Biblical book of 1 Corinthians tells us about Paul the Apostle’s efforts to resolve an issue that had arisen within the early church…
“…some …have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ'” (1 Corinthians 1:10-12 NIV).
Much like the ancient church at Corinth, it is not uncommon for some modern-day church members to favor one member of a pastoral staff over another. Or perhaps we might demonstrate a preference for another person who occupies a prominent ministry position. While it is certainly not wrong to favor one minister’s communication style over another, it is definitely wrong to create factions and divisions based on such preferences.
This relates to a portion of our text from 1 Peter 4:11: “Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies…” (GW). Given the diverse range of personal, cultural, and emotional differences among Jesus’ followers, it is virtually impossible for one individual to serve everyone effectively. Thus, God, in His wisdom, has bestowed different strengths upon each of His ministers. Those individual strengths will naturally appeal to some more than others.
Therefore, we should afford God-honoring leaders with an opportunity to serve with “…with the ability which God supplies” (NKJV). These divine enablements are geared towards an ultimate objective: “that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” So this reminds us that an honorable minister is one who seeks to glorify God through Christ. If the center of attention is on the speaker (or something else), there should be cause for concern, for God will not share His glory with another.
This represents an important consideration, especially in an era where we have an unparalleled opportunity to amplify our thoughts, opinions, and ideas through a wide range of media platforms. While we have the freedom to express our views and feelings through these channels, we may wish to reflect on how those engagements align with this message from 1 Peter 4:11. As Jesus Himself instructed us, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16)..