Mike’s Musings ….
All Things to All Men
Paul declared his concern for the good of all men by explaining how he “got down on their level,” as we would say. Read carefully the context of 1 Corinthians 9: 19 – 22, noticing his closing statement, “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” That isn’t always an easy task! If we endeavor to “be all things to all men, that by all means, we might save some,” we’re going to be busy!
Just how busy we are often depends on our willingness to be busy. So, let me ask, “How busy are you willing to be for the sake of saving men’s souls?” Are you willing to put aside the tasks you had planned for the day, and instead, travel some distance to study God’s word with a soul, and realize you might also learn something of value in the process? Are you willing to stop what you are doing, regardless of how important you think that task might be, and accommodate the wishes of a soul who needs your help in some righteous matter? Are you willing to sacrifice time with your family to accommodate the needs of some struggling soul? If not, why not?
Too many of us shout, “I don’t have time …” when sudden requests arise, regardless of the urgency of the request. We simply don’t want to be bothered by interruptions! But think of Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25: 40, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” If WE aren’t “all things to all men that we might save some,” and especially if we neglect the needs of our brethren, how are we serving Christ Jesus our Lord?
I muse on Paul’s statement quite often. Yes, folks can and sometimes do take advantage of our kindness of accommodation. But wouldn’t we rather allow that, than ignore their requests and be seen as one too hard or uncaring to help them? After all, the point is to save their soul! So often, it’s the little things that help them understand we care about their salvation, and a few minutes, or even hours, taken from our desires to help them, might be the difference between seeing them obey the gospel, or turn from their sins, or be lost eternally. Muse on that, dear friends!