1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
This is one of my favorite passages in the bible, because Paul is explaining the lengths he goes to, just to share the message of Christ with someone. To make sure they have the same opportunity as everyone else, so that no one will be excluded from or not hear the word of God. It’s very clever, and so selfless. Paul could easily look past and walk over the people who seem unreachable, but he didn’t he became like them in order to reach them. He found common ground just to save souls and have the opportunity to share the gospel. He starts by declaring his freedom but then immediately saying that he has become a servant to all. To all people he has become a servant, in order to share the message of Jesus Christ with them. Paul is putting himself aside for the sake of God’s people. He was willing to do something that not many people were. He was willing to be looked at as less so that Jesus could be more. Meaning, he was willing to go places no one else would go, he was willing to associate with the people who had written off and given up on. Paul was willing to get his hands dirty. he was willing to put his pride aside for the sake of someone’s soul. He became who they needed him to be. He got on their level, whatever that was, and did whatever he could to make sure that everyone had access to Christ. He made sure that everyone would be given a chance to experience the love of god and the truth of the Gospel. Even if that meant he had to become like the Jews, the servants, the Gentiles, whatever he had to do he did it. He did all of this and never lost who he was in Christ.
If someone was weak, he got down there with them and said, let's be weak together, you don’t have to do this alone, He took on the burdens of his brothers and sisters. He found ways to relate to the people. I think this is where we miss the mark sometimes. We are so concerned with containing our Christian composure and making sure that our spirits are not “tainted” that we are not really doing all we can to make sure someone’s soul is set free. The Scriptures say that when we find our brothers overtake in a fault, he that is spiritual restores him (Galatians 6:1) Sometimes we have to put ourselves of the line for someone else, We have to make sure they know that they are not alone. We cannot forget that at one point in our lives before we were high and mighty in our faith and too spiritual for the world we were right there where someone else is, and someone came and picked us up.
I think Paul knew this, I love the passages when Paul shares his testimony of how God brought Him to salvation and made him a man after God’s own heart. For those of you who don’t know Paul was one of the people who sought out and persecuted Christians. He was totally against the message of Christ, but on his way to persecute more Christians Jesus came to Paul and set him straight. Paul was saved by Jesus himself and turned away from the life of sin and brought into eternity. Now every chance Paul gets he shares what God has done for him. He does not stand ashamed of who he was yet he boasts in what God has done for him. Paul remembers the life he led before Christ and shares how God turned that around.
I share this because, too often we forget where we come from. No, we do not dwell on the past, that’s not what I’m saying at all. What I’m saying is at one point in our lives we were all leading a life that was not pleasing God. We were living a life that was against God and His word, so how dare we forget that once we decide we are too holy to associate with anyone who is not a believer. That’s why this passage is so important, because sometimes we have to sit our pride aside and whoever we think we are and become servants of God’s people. We are here to serve one another, that means that whatever people need us to be, God willing we will be it to make sure they are set free.
All this to say, don’t allow your pride to make you overlook someone. We must allow ourselves to be transparent, letting go of who we think we are in order to bring people to Christ. Let’s find a common ground with those who are suffering and find ways to bring the message of Christ to them, not wait for them to walk up to us.
Response
How do you respond to what we discussed today, can you relate? Maybe you know what it’s like to be overlooked because of who people perceive you as, or maybe you’ve overlooked someone. Whatever it may be, take the time to respond. Open your heart to God and pray about it. Whatever is on your heart talk to God about it. Have an honest conversation with Him.
I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 263!
