Quid habes | All you want

"Already you have all you want" (1 Corinthians 4:8).

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, challenges a way of thinking that focuses on getting everything you want in this world. He says, "You already have everything you want" (1 Corinthians 4:8). This verse is like a mirror, showing us our own lives. We truly have so much: good memories, supportive friends and family, active communities, and the everyday comforts we use. But even with more and more stuff, we often don't feel truly happy. We always want more money, not seeing how much we already have. Many of us, in our jobs or positions, might feel like kings and queens, able to lead and control.

But, as Christians, we're called to a different path: to be like an apostle. This means spending our lives helping others in the world, a way of life often misunderstood by those who care more about honor and status. To the world, Christian values might seem silly and weak. Paul himself wrote, "The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). He also highlighted this difference, saying, "We are fools for Christ's sake" (1 Corinthians 4:10).

A true follower of Christ always wants to learn more from God's Word. Their time on Earth isn't their real home, because they know that "our home is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). Their work isn't about getting rich in this world, but about doing what God wants. As Paul encouraged, "Whatever you do, work with all your heart, as if you were working for the Lord, not for people" (Colossians 3:23). These followers of Christ try to help others, even when they're treated badly; they respond with kindness, even when hurt. They live out Paul's teaching: "Bless those who cause you trouble; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14).

Even when things are hard, these apostles of Christ don't give up. They gather in church, praying for "the worst people on earth and the garbage of the world," which shows how Paul humbly saw himself when he said, "We have become a show for the world, for angels, and for people" (1 Corinthians 4:9). They actively help lonely and poor people, finding strength and hope in God's Word. Also, God's Spirit lives in their minds, souls, and hearts, giving them power. As Paul said, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). Because God lives in them, they truly rule as God's children, not by worldly power, but by the life-changing power of faith and helping others.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 4:7-13 by Józef Trzebuniak.

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