What's the Matter?
1Cor. 6:1
T
his is a question Paul could have asked when he visited the church in Corinth. He said, “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go
to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?” Spiritual discernment is found in knowing what matters and what
doesn’t matter. The
unsaved individual has everything mixed up. The things that don’t matter, he thinks are important, while
the things that really matter he thinks are not. We have all seen people caught making sand castles with such
intensity and care, while their real lives are crumbling and falling
apart. We have all seen
people passionately yell and cheer for their favorite football team
while sitting in a freezing cold stadium, but stay away from church
because the weather is bad. We
have all seen people cry over a silly soap opera on TV while remaining
dry eyed when a man dies and goes out into eternity without Christ.
In Corinth they were embroiled in conflicts
with one another about the “smallest matters.” Paul pointed this out and said “I speak to your shame.” It is always a shame when we get what matters mixed up. Knowing what matters and what does not matter is discernment. First, you matter to God. People
matter to God. Things, no
matter how valuable in this world are of the “smallest matters.” Many religious arguments are really fights over the “smallest
matters.” They are about things. There is a big difference between being religious and being
spiritual. Only a spiritual
man knows what worth fighting for.
Two children were fighting. Their mother came into their room to find out “what was the
matter.” Most of this
world’s arguments are about things that don’t really matter.
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