Paul As A Life-Model?

I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.  For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. (1 Corinthians 4:14-16 NASB)

 I sell stuff for a living.  It's a common profession, and I am common among such laborers.  I wonder what sort of 'salesperson' Paul would make.  Consider that just prior to his admonition to 'be imitators of me' he claims that his way of life means that he is hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless, works hard with his hands, blesses those who revile him, endures persecution, conciliates with those who slander him, and is considered the dregs of the world, scum of the earth.  Now, imitate this...seriously?

I admit that the product I sell and those who produce it have issues.  Sometimes, it simply doesn't work.  Other times, most times, it works extremely well, but not intuitively.  But I can show a perspective customer how it works, and help them see themselves using it, liking it, and eventually needing it.  I don't do that by pointing out every broken piece, quirky nuance, and cosmetic blemish in my product.  I help them look through those to the positive.  It's just me, perhaps, but Paul doesn't seem to do that.

So how does this apostle bridge the gap between the 'horror' of his life and being able to promote it to these people he wants to follow him into it?  To discover the answer, there are a few things that need to be understood first. 

Simply put, as we have this record in English, there is a 'literary context' for both his negative description and his positive admonition.  That context is that they have been the ones speaking poorly of him and well of themselves.  The negative statements provide a contrast to their view of themselves.  Understood in this context, the negative can be seen as somewhat of a hyperbole.  It's not that these things don't happen, but they form only part of the story of his life; the part they have focused on in their criticism.

Second, there is a 'life context' in that the cultural and situational setting of Paul in that day, in the places he writes from and to form backdrop that aides in understanding.  For instance, in this letter, Paul is not advocating an itinerant lifestyle, but rather a paradigm where Jesus is Lord of all.  Paul is an itinerant because Jesus is his Lord, and told him to travel and live so.  So, Paul is advocating a framework through which to understand and relate to living in this world.  It's a 'life philosophy' where Jesus is God and Immanent Master.

Because of this Paul can juxtapose the negative elements of his lifestyle with a charge to imitate him; not the 'style of his life' but his lifestyle or paradigm.  I think this is different, but both less troubling, and more intimidating for me.  It's less troubling because I don't relish the idea of becoming homeless and persecuted right now.  There ample opportunities for me to do so, plenty of places to go to experience such things in this world, and so on.  But, they wouldn't be my first choice of mode of service to my Master.

But it is more intimidating because this same sense in which it is less 'frightening' means it is a more realistic expectation.  It's a serious charge on me to be an imitator of such a paradigm.  I freely admit that my particular paradigm is much more centered around me than my Master.  But how can I be satisfied with such knowledge when I see evidence of one that is not, and also a charge to imitate that one?  But then how can I not be intimidated by the understanding that adopting such a paradigm would require the destruction of the one I have created with me at the center?  I'm kind of attached to me, honestly, and my self-preservation instinct I use as an excuse so much of the time rebels against such an idea.  Where would I be if not in the center of my own paradigm?  I believe the answer is also 'hidden' in this chapter.

Forming the background of Paul's sarcastic assertion that the believers in Corinth are 'already become rich', already filled, become kings without Paul is the truth that these things should be expectations.  In other words, the rewards for destroying my busted self-centered paradigm and replacing it with one centered on my Master, Jesus, includes being filled, being rich, and becoming a king.  These are not things my paradigm will produce.  It can't because everyone else has the same paradigm, and I'm not skilled or motivated enough to compete with them to reign or become rich in such an environment.  Even so, I would be rich and/or reign among a bunch of self-centered people, people who would only view me in terms of how I enhance their 'center' (i.e. themselves).  That's not a secure sense of reigning or becoming rich.

The truth is that the 'riches', 'filling', and 'reigning' contained in this new paradigm are true contentedness, riches, and power.  They are secure in the One having formed stars, not my meager abilities to entice people into believing I enhance their self-centers.  So, if I ditch my paradigm for His, then I gain the peace, wealth, and authority I could never gain on my own.  And while any such gain on my own would fail eventually, this gain, founded on my Master, would last as long as Him.  Considered this way, I'd say it was really more in my favor to not be the center of my world-view.  I think the rest of this letter to the ancient church in Corinth is about how to create this paradigm around Jesus, and finally, that I can trust it.

So, yes, Paul is a life model, 'warts and all.'  But it's his paradigm through which he views and lives his life I need, not the activities it produces.  I can see I have a lot of praying to do.  Best get after it!