“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.” (1 Corinthians 4:5,6)
Men love to glory in men. They love measurement and comparison to others. They love to gauge how much they are doing against how little others are doing. The disciples argued at the last supper over who would be the greatest among them. It’s hard to believe but Paul was deemed by many in Corinth to be subpar. So much so that he was compelled to “become a fool” by listing what he had done for the Lord. And then he boasted how he really wanted to glory in his weaknesses.
Don’t fall into the carnal trap of glorying in men and being “puffed up for one against another.” Who makes any of us to differ? What do any of us have that is truly good and valuable that we have not been given?
Count it a small thing that you should be despised by those who look on the outward appearance. “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.” (1 Cor. 4:3)
One day the Lord will try every man’s work by fire to see what sort it is. In that day, what appeared great in men’s eyes may turn out to have been wood, hay, and stubble; and what was small in men’s eyes may turn out to have been gold.