1 Corinthians 16

Wow...sincere apologies for being super tardy. I was just reading along, thinking I wasn't blogging for another week or so, then looked at the schedule today and saw that I had missed the boat. Whoops.

A shortie-but goodie is this chapter.  I decided to go for some practical principles here that I tried to pick out when reading.

1. Be generous with your money. It is a direct reflection of where your heart is at. Give freely, don't wait for some earth shattering disaster to arrive in order to give, and don't hold onto your money with a tight fist.

2. Invest in people's lives that you are trying to disciple or just fellow believers. A once glance and a few words while running at a speed of 500 is not the ideal way to have a fruitful relationship. Paul plainly states (the message version): hey, I really hope that I don't just do a wave out the window as I pass through your city. I want to be able to stop and live among you and invest in you, if that's what the Lord wills. (vs. 5-7).

3. Vs 13-14 I feel like this just screams "life verse" :)  "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."  There are many times every week where I am fearful of something, lack courage, feel weak, and do things out of selfish motives. I feel like this is a great "truth" that I should have in the back of my head constantly reminding me of who I am in Christ and how I should be acting as a result of

4. We need encouragement! People need encouragement every day...people you see in the skyways, people you see at the grocery store, people you see at the lake on walks, people in the check-out line next to you.  Think about that when you interact! You might be just the "refreshing" encouragement they had been longing to hear, or the smile or new face that makes whatever they're going through seem just a bit brighter.  Paul calls out how important this refreshment and encouragement when he talks about Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus arriving and how thankful he was that they came because they supplied the refreshment and encouragement that both Paul and the people were needing...that was lacking.

-Kari :)