Do Not Be Divisive in Favoritism

1 Corinthians 4:7 "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"

      Lord, I never cease to be amazed how You direct events in my life and intervene in my life and thoughts!  Usually I do not recognize it immediately...and then everything seems to just come together.
     On Sunday, our pastor spoke on how sin affects the church body and that confession and repentance will restore us to service and usefulness.  Last night I left work a little late.  I usually listen to Focus on the Family on the way home, but when I turned the radio on, that program was ending.  I felt sort of bad that I had missed it, but Insight for Living came on with Chuck Swindoll.  the first words out of his mouth were that if we do not have control of our tongues we need to get control.  He said that his congregation expected him to have control of his when they tell them all of their issues. He said he could probably destroy the character of most of his congregation if he revealed what had been confided.
      He is doing a Bible Survey and had come to the book of Third John and was speaking of
3 John 9-11 "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."
      That brought to mind:
Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers."
      It is natural for Christians to have their favorite leaders, partly because of their learning style, I suppose.  However; when that favoritism is voiced another brothers are put down the cancer spreads within the "body" of Christ, it can be deadly indeed!
Paul is addressing this in Corinth.  Folks had their favorites and not only that, but were attributing  more truth to one over another.  It does not appear from what Paul is saying that Apollos and Cepheus were promoting this.  It seems more that there were several like Diotrephes in that church too.  Chuck called them "Church Bosses".  He said another pastor called folks like that "savages". They come into the "Flock" and scatter it to make the sheep easier prey.  Those who are not close to the Good Shepherd are endangered.
     Lord, I know You created me to be unique, and yet spiritually not one of us is better than another as devoted Christ Followers.  We may have different talents and gifts, but they all came from You.  You and Your message are the centerpiece not us.  Therefore if there is any glory or honor or praise it goes to You.  We must work diligently to keep our focus on You, not on each other or on the spiritual leaders of our times.
   Precious Savior, please keep me from both pride and false humility...as both are sins.  Also, I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart will be acceptable to You all day every day!