One of the things that my ministry buddy, Paul, said that sort of troubles me is that he became all to everyone so that he might rescue some. I just have a problem with being so flexible with my personality. I don’t take it to the extreme that our culture is pushing for, being true to yourself and all that. But on the other hand, bowing to every whim is not cool either.
It’s when I read the preceding verses that it begins to make more sense. To the Jews he became a Jew to win Jews, he became as one under the law of Moses to win those under the law of Moses, to those not under the law of Moses, as one not under the law of Moses but under Christ to win those not under the law of Moses, and to the weak he became weak to win the weak. I get that. He identified with anyone in any condition so that he could lead them from there to his Master. It didn’t take flexibility of personality, it took humility.
When I was most disenchanted with church-people during my time in ministry, it was easy to reach people who were disenchanted with church people. They were everywhere. When I agreed with their assessment of church, they were shocked, but that position got through their defenses and I was able to talk about my Master instead of my fellow frail human creatures. It worked then accidentally, but it works in all walks of human life. In fact, it is one of those things that makes me skilled at sales, being able to identify with my customers regardless of size of firm or walk of life.
The main reason I don’t do this with people I meet around me day in and day out is pride and fear. I don’t know what I’m proud of necessarily, nor do I really know what I’m afraid of. Perhaps being bullied as a kid by people who were something like the people around me? Perhaps, but probably not, at least not when I think about it more. My pride is more understandable, but even less acceptable. I used to tell people that whatever they saw in me that was good and noble was my Master, and whatever was ugly and bad was really me. That’s a pretty good summary.
I have no reason to fear, nor a reason to be proud. What do I have that I have not been given by my Master? So what do I have that need to fear losing? And what do I have that I can be proud of personally? In all things I should point to my Master and bow out of the way. How hard can it be? Well, it seems that it can be very hard for me.
I live among people in various walks of life and degree of problems. Well, I live in a “walk of life” with corresponding problems. I have trouble with my daughter, who doesn’t have trouble with their emerging teen? I have trouble with my wife who is very emotional after the loss of her beloved aunt. Well, yeah! Hello! It’s called grief and is a very real and necessary part of life! So far it sounds pretty normal as opposed to exceptional. And where do I find what I need to face these elements of my life? Prayer. So why would I be prideful again?
Why not identify with those out of a job? I’ve been there, scrambling to find something so I can put food on my family’s table. Why not identify with those without a home? I’ve been there too, living with relatives until God provided. Why not identify with those without hope? I’ve been there when my Master crushed my expectations of Him and took my unborn child. It’s not like my Master has brought me on a different path than everyone else. It has been through addiction, through loss, through gain, and through freedom.
Why I fight identifying with those around me in order to rescue some of them is really incomprehensible. I hope to have a small group in my area to try and reach some. It would be helpful to identify with some of them first. That might make it easier for them to come to any small group. I guess I know what I need to do in response to this entry today.
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