Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. 1 Cor 9:12
In the context of this verse the apostle Paul is commenting on his right, as a minister of the gospel, to receive financial assistance from those he ministers to. But rather than see the spread of the gospel hindered among them, he preferred rather to endure the hardship of going without. What wisdom from God!
Just a few chapters earlier Paul had counseled the Corinthians on their unwise and ungodly practice of bringing lawsuits against one another before the unbelieving world. “Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?” (1 Corinthians 6:7). How we cringe at the very suggestion of such a thing.
There is something in our human nature that leads us to feel as though we are entitled to certain things. One of those things is fairness. If someone crosses us or treats us poorly we want them to know about. We probably want other people to know about it as well. And we want it to be made right. So we broadcast our offense because we feel entitled to something better. It’s only fair. Thus we reason with ourselves and justify our actions and attitudes.
And the gospel of Christ is hindered because we insist on our “rights”.
My heart aches over the times I have hindered the gospel of Christ because I felt entitled to dwell on petty offenses. What small thinking this is. Let us consider Christ, who of all people was treated most unfairly. Yet he endured the shame of it all. Why? For the joy that was set before Him.
There is for us also a joy that awaits. It is the joy of hearing the very voice of our own Lord Jesus saying “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” For this brief little moment called life there will be the pain of suffering silently, but oh what bliss to know that we have not hindered the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I marvel at how the Apostle Paul was so consistently a man with a single purpose – the proclamation of the gospel. After meeting Christ, everything in his life seems to come back to this one goal.
In his letter to the Philippians he writes “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.” (V 12-13)
As he pens this letter, Paul helps the Philippian believers to see God’s perfectly unfolding plan – even in his chains. So although his freedom has been taken from him and his circumstances are less than ideal (to say the least), it all comes back to one thing for him – preaching the gospel. And this he can do even in his chains. The message is not hindered, only redirected to a new, previously unreached audience.
All of life, the good and the bad, is an opportunity to proclaim Christ. Although when life is less than perfect, and when difficult circumstances threaten our willingness to proclaim Christ, might it not be in these very difficulties that our witness may be most effective?
There is no time to be a fair weather Christian. There are yet multitudes who have not heard the saving message of Jesus Christ. And even if, in the midst of our sufferings, we cannot seem to find any compassion for our fellow human beings, couldn’t we still be so overwhelmed with His glorious grace that we cannot help but proclaim it?
May the Spirit of God strengthen us all to proclaim Christ, with all of our heart and all of our strength, even in our chains.
He is my Delight 