Have a cooperative spirit

A cooperative spirit will become your norm once you embrace the fact that you plant seeds for your own success when you support others. Take the case of Paul and Apollos. Some of the Christians at Corinth felt they had to choose sides as to which one to follow – despite the fact that they preached the same gospel. Paul took them to task for their carnal attitudes. “One of you says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ and another says, ‘I belong to Apollos.’ When you say things like this, you are acting like people of the world. Is Apollos important? No! Is Paul important? No! We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do. I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow. So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important…We are God’s workers, working together” (1 Corinthians 3:4-9 NCV). In an attempt to blow out another’s light so that their own lights can shine, some ministers make disparaging remarks about other ministries. And it’s such a turnoff to both believers and non-believers. Paul’s primary objective was to spread the gospel, and he wanted to make sure that no minister was hindered from doing so. In his letter to Titus, he encouraged believers to give Apollos their full support: “Do everything you can to help…Apollos” (Titus 3:13 NLT). Such a request could emanate only from a secure heart. So the word for you today is – have a cooperative spirit.