The Guessing Game
Life Lessons from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 4
Recently, I played the game “Guess Who” with my granddaughter. Each player has a card with a character’s face on it, and the other person will guess who the character is by the process of elimination based on the features of that character. At other times, we’ve played guessing games like trying to figure out what color object they have chosen (“I Spy something red,” etc.) or guessing the number she has in her head. She loves to play Hide and Seek, making me guess where she’s hiding!
In my childhood, there were always games where someone had to guess something. It may have been a number, what the other person was thinking, or even the boy or girl on which they had a secret crush. Likewise, in adulthood, we may try to guess someone’s thoughts or the motivations behind their actions and judge upon that guess.
The truth is, we can’t guess what someone else is thinking or know another person’s thoughts unless they tell us. We also can’t see the motivation behind someone’s words or actions. Only the person knows what’s in their mind or their heart: only that person and God.
Only God knows the thoughts and real motivations of our own hearts. So, there is no guessing with God!
“I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10
In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds the believers in Corinth that our goal is to be found faithful by God. And only God can rightly judge our faithfulness. Because of this truth, our motivation should be to please God, not others. Others’ judgment of us and even the judgment of ourselves will lack the perfection of God.
“People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.” Proverbs 21:2
Only God can judge what can and can’t be seen by our eyes.
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
How can we ensure our thoughts and motivations are pleasing to God? First, ask God to reveal any thoughts, desires, and motivations that are sinful and offensive to Him. Next, confess and seek forgiveness for any sin the Holy Spirit has exposed. Then ask God to give you the desire to please Him alone, not be concerned with the opinions of others, and rely on the Holy Spirit’s power to help you be obedient to His Word.
Scriptures to pray:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
© 2022 Robin R King
You said so true Robin.
Thank you for your insight.
Actions do speak to back up our words
It is hard sometime to ask God to direct our actions before we just “react”