4. (a) What was Paul’s role in the Christian building work? (b) Why might it be said that both Jesus and his audience knew the importance of good foundations?

⁴ If a building is to be stable and durable, it needs a good foundation. Thus, Paul wrote: “According to the undeserved kindness of God that was given to me, as a wise director of works I laid a foundation.” (1 Corinthians 3:10) Using a similar illustration, Jesus Christ told of a house that survived a storm because its builder had chosen a solid foundation. (Luke 6:47-49) Jesus knew all about the importance of foundations. He was present when Jehovah founded the very earth.a (Proverbs 8:29-31) Jesus’ audience too valued good foundations. Only well-founded houses could outlast the flash floods and earthquakes that sometimes occurred in Palestine.

7. What can we learn from Paul’s reference to himself as “a wise director of works”?

⁷ Paul noted that he did such teaching “as a wise director of works.” This statement was not egotistic. It was simply an acknowledgment of a wonderful gift Jehovah had given him—that of organizing or directing work. (1 Corinthians 12:28) Granted, we today do not have the miraculous gifts that were bestowed upon first-century Christians. And we might not think of ourselves as gifted teachers. But in an important sense, we are. Consider: Jehovah gives us his holy spirit to help us. (Compare Luke 12:11, 12.) And we have a love of Jehovah and a knowledge of the basic teachings of his Word. These are truly wonderful gifts to use in teaching others. Let us resolve to use them to lay the proper foundation.