“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

— 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

When I first read this passage, I thought of judgment as a courtroom scene—pointing out what someone is doing wrong. And that kind of judgment is worth discussing another day. But as I finished the verse, one line stood out to me:

“At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

Earlier in the chapter , Paul refers to himself and Apollos as mere servants. Nothing more. Their only obligation and priority was to be faithful to God.

It reminded me that the things we do—whether in the spotlight or in secret—are ultimately not for people to evaluate. Even our motives, the parts no one else can see, belong to God alone to judge.