All things to all people

Hi how are you all today? I hope your week was good. We are still in the land of winter temperatures which means when we go out extra jumpers and gloves need to come too. My week was good. I was able to work from home all week as I was doing a course for work that was taught remotely. So that was good.

In this post, I want to explore the concept of being all things to all people. This became evident in my life on the weekend when I attended my nephews party. Most people that were there were not Christians. So in those types of circumstances how do I behave and show Jesus? I love my nephew lots so not going was definitely not an option.

So I did what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9.: 19 – 23 in the Message Bible which states:

^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!

So let’s look at these verses more closely and see what they require of us:

1. We need to be free from the demands and expectations of everyone. I need to walk into situations knowing that I am a Christian and that God loves me unconditionally. I am a daughter of the King and with His help I can get through anything.

2. I am there to serve people and to love on them- to really meet them where they are at and to talk to them, no matter what their background is. Jesus said to love others and He didn’t put any conditions on it and neither should we.

3. Don’t act like somebody you are not or do things just to fit in. If we do this, we will feel uncomfortable and open ourselves up to feeling like a hypocrite. Don’t do it – stand on your own convictions and don’t judge others.

4. It is important that we enter their world- not to participate but to understand. You can always find common ground with someone if you look for it. For example work experiences, children, parents, sport, gardening, hobbies etc. Look for the common things and not the differences.

5. Why should we do all this? Easy – we can’t demonstrate the love of Jesus if we are not around people. Who knows if our actions or conversations plant a seed in a persons life that someone else will water? We mightn’t see them come to Jesus but that seed we plant might just be the start of their journey towards Jesus.

So this week if you get an invitation for lunch, dinner or a party that you normally wouldn’t go too- just go (unless God is telling you otherwise). You may never know the influence you have over that one person you may meet.

Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.

Bless you

Karen