God’s Teamword

I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Paul planted the seed of the gospel message in the believers’ hearts. He was a missionary pioneer, the first to bring the message of salvation, and the founder of the church in Corinth. Apollos’s role was to water—to help the believers grow stronger in the faith. Paul had founded the church in Corinth; then Apollos had built on that foundation. Unfortunately, some of the believers in Corinth had split into factions that pledged loyalty to Paul, the “planter,” or to Apollos, the “waterer.”

God’s work requires many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are few superstars; instead, many team members are needed to serve in their special roles. The effectiveness of one member depends in a large way on the effectiveness of all. We may see only partial results from our individual efforts. We can even misunderstand God’s purposes or overemphasize our role. Only God, who makes things grow, sees the whole picture.

We can become useful members of God’s team by not seeking personal acclaim for what we do. Don’t seek the praise that comes from people—it is comparatively worthless. Instead, seek approval from God.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.