Apostle Paul, You Are A Funny Guy!

In 1st Corinthians 4 the Apostle Paul writes about being an Apostle of Jesus Christ - Paul compares it to being a servant of Jesus'.  Not only does Paul write about being an Apostle, he also writes, to the church in Corinth, what they are in comparison.

Verse 8; Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! This goes back to what he had written to them at the opening of this same letter; For in him you have been enriched in every way and you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
This was great encouragement for the church in Corinth. Then Paul outlines what it is like - in comparison form - to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

Verses 9-13; For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;  when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.

I read this passage yesterday morning. And, as I read it, I underlined the various points where Paul described what it is like to be called an Apostle of Jesus Christ. I know that Paul was not looking for sympathy from the church, instead he was simply describing what his life was life and how others viewed him and treated him - all in comparison to what life was life for the church members in Corinth. He was trying to illustrate how easy their life was.

This morning I revisited this passage to review some of the descriptive terms of Paul's. Is this what I am called to? Is this what we are all called to? Dishonor? Brutality? Homelessness? Hard work? Persecution? Slander? Have we been called to become the scum of the earth? I wanted to know!

And then I saw it, something that I actually underlined yesterday but didn't understand. And when I saw it - keeping in mind the difficulty Paul described above - I began to laugh.

Verse 16; Therefore I urge you to imitate me.