A Servant to God and His Creation

A Future for God's People
Turn to Me and Be Saved

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message)

 ^19-23Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

For Reflection
Whom do you serve?  How do you do it?

Paul articulates his service to the people God has created.  Not just the ones that have declared their allegiance to God, but all of God's people, the good, the bad and the truly evil ugly.

Paul says in order to help others one must enter their world but not take on their way of life.  Have you ever watched adolescents try to fit into peer groups?  They shift their attitudes, beliefs and values to appear similar the  to others whose approval and inclusion they wish to garner.  They will dress like the idol group and even adapt the nuances of language common to that group or at least its leaders.

Paul puts his finger on the greatest danger of entering into helping relationships -- that one is corrupted by his attempt to empathize.  In doing so he or she loses sight of himself or herself and the God-saved life he or she wishes the other to adopt. It' s a delicate balance to serve God and his people.  How do you say, "I understand." with out empathizing?  How do you empathize without making excuses for the other and enabling the status quo?

Pray
to find the wisdom to judge with out being judgmental.  Pray that others will see you as one who has their best interest as your first interest.  Pray that others who need help find it in a God-centered Relationship.