18-21 So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! And I’m going to keep that celebration going because I know how it’s going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose. (Philippians 1:18-21 – The Message)
It is so easy for us to fall into the trap of self-righteousness. In church, we always focus on looking for someone with the right attitude or characters in serving, rather than looking for someone with excellent skills and abilities. It is true that a person’s attitude or characters are significant. However, who has the right to judge a person’s attitude or characters? The judgment is definitely subjective. As Paul has a deep understanding about his mission and his powerful God, he is able to overlook the negative motives of people and be joyful as long as God’s words are spread. In the bible, there are many examples showing that God is using imperfect human beings, like Sampson, Rahab, and David. If we always focus on seeking people with the right attitude or characters, we would miss the opportunities to witness how God uses imperfect people to fulfill His greatest plan.
“I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!”
