9TH JANUARY
1 Corinthians 9:19,23
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
Resolution #9: I will care more about how I minister to others than I do about how they treat me!
Earlier in this chapter, Paul says, “If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” Paul has been writing all about our rights and freedoms in Christ. These rights and freedoms are beautiful. Yet Paul says that we must be willing to lay them aside for the sake of ministry to people around us.
At the end of teaching this principle, he says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Paul learned this way of life from Christ. As he found out more and more about how Jesus had lived on earth he realised that Jesus modelled this way of life. When people treated Jesus rudely he didn’t respond with rudeness, but rather looked for how he could minister to them and help them think differently about God.
That way of life is not natural, is it? Acknowledging that we have rights, freedoms and preferences that are all good, and then choosing to set them aside for the sake of ministering to people who are not treating us nicely, or who are not easy to love, so that they can find the healing work of Christ—that takes the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
Hurting people hurt people. Instead of getting offended what can you do to learn more about someone’s background?