The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Wednesday
February 6, 2008
When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to
Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even
though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I
am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much
as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I
do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those
who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to
Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring
them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy
its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:20-23
Can you imagine what Paul's old friends thought of him? I had never really thought about it until recently. I feel it would be safe to say that they thought Paul had definitely lost his mind. I mean, Paul was a Jew's Jew. He was in the upper echelon of his peers and in society as well. Yet, suddenly, after meeting Jesus face to face on the road to Damascus he left all of that in order to share Him with a group of people he once detested.
Some of us Christians can get so high minded that we lose sight of God's purpose in our lives. I have known people who worked so hard at being holy they forget that our call is not so much to holiness but to wholeness. To be whole is to know we aren't and that is a paradox.
Over Paul's lifetime he developed the discipline necessary to live a life above reproach. He abstained from all the behaviors that defiled the body. Yet, suddenly, he found himself moving in a circle of people that were everything he once loathed. Even so, he knew it was what God wanted him to do so that when he was with these Gentiles he wouldn't make them uncomfortable. I am almost sure he ate pork with them!
If we are going to reach the lost and hurting people in our world today, we may have to lower our expectations. I am not advocating that we lower our standards or our moral values, but we need to expect nothing more from them than God does. I imagine that the group of people Jesus took under His wings were not polished. However, He recognized their potential, accepted them where they were, and represented hope.
Years ago a very godly woman mentored me. When I went to her home I couldn't believe I was actually in such a mansion. Yet, when I asked permission to step outside and smoke she wouldn't hear of it. She found me an ashtray and told me to go ahead, that it did not offend her. Through that simple act of grace I learned more about the love of God in a moment that I had learned over my entire lifetime.
I am not saying that you should let people smoke in your home, I know the statistics about second hand smoke. However, we should ask ourselves if we are holding ourselves up so high that people get nose bleeds from trying to look up to us.
Father, thank You for the grace that accepted me where I was, that accepts me where I am, and that encourages me to press in and press on toward the higher purpose You have for my life. Help me to go and do likewise so that someone might step closer to knowing You.
