“It matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or any human court.” (1 Corinthians 4:3) Are you secure enough to say that and mean it in your heart? If you are, is it because you are resting securely in the Lord, or because you are ignorant enough to think you don’t need to answer to anyone else and can do as you please? Both God’s Spirit and the enemy are at work for the battle of your mind and ultimately your soul. Both can cause you to feel secure but one will destroy and one will save. 

Standing with the enemy will give you false pride in yourself. You will be puffed up and believe that if anyone has an issue with you, that’s their problem. They can take you as you are or go away–you are on your own throne, you are happy with you, and no one else’s opinion of you matters, no one. But God…what about God?

Paul said, “I don’t even evaluate myself. I am not aware of anything against me, but this does not make me innocent. The one who is evaluating me is the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 4:4) Have you accepted the reality that you are being constantly watched and evaluated by God? Are you able to resist evaluating yourself because you are walking hand in hand with Jesus? Oh, how I wish I could always say that, but I still fall into human righteousness along with my brothers and sisters. 

“Don’t pronounce judgment prematurely, before the Lord comes; for he will expose the motives of people’s hearts.” (1 Corinthians 4:5) This is where it really counts, for eternity. That may be a very scary thing to have to consider, however, our good and gracious Father doesn’t stand over us waiting to execute the punishment we deserve. It’s that backward way of God again… “each will receive from God whatever praise he deserves.” (1 Corinthians 4:5) What is the motive of your heart?