The Living Foundation
Throughout his letters, the Apostle Paul consistently challenges believers to “grow up.” He relentlessly pushes the early church to deepen their faith rather than settling for a shallow, stagnant spiritual life.
In a recent study of 1 Corinthians 3 with my discipleship group, we saw Paul addressing the spiritual immaturity within the church at Corinth. The community was fractured by “worldliness, envy, and strife.” Some members had become prideful, centering their identity on which specific leader they followed. Paul corrected this by explaining that while multiple leaders might influence us throughout our lives—each challenging different areas of growth—the focus should never be on the human personality.
The point isn’t who we associate with, but how those various influences work together to make us more like Christ. Our foundation is not earthly leadership; it is Jesus. As Paul reminds the Corinthians in verse 11: For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ.
Think about your own journey. How many spiritual mentors can you name who have helped you grow? I can look back and see a tapestry of leaders who impacted me in diverse ways, all contributing to my “growing up” in the faith. Some in person, some through podcasts, books, and events. No single leader was more important than the others; rather, God used each person at a specific time to meet a specific need.
This directive also serves as a mirror. As we live and serve, our own foundation must remain firmly in Jesus if we hope to influence others for the Kingdom. Whether we are being taught or doing the teaching, we must assess the foundation. If it is built on anything other than Christ, it will not last.
Take time today to thank those who have impacted your walk, then strive to be the kind of follower who builds others up on the only foundation that holds.
If our foundation is secure, how does that change the way we “influence the lives of others”? What is one practical way you can help someone else “deepen their walk” this week?
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