Verses 22b: “”…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
Little Bird loved to sing, especially Christmas carols. During December, she would greet the members of the church (whose bell tower her nest resided in) with carol after carol as soon as the sun rose. Most all the members appreciated Little Bird’s carols. She not only sang to put people in the Christmas spirit, but did it as her way of worshipping the Creator, especially at this time of year. Not too long after the Christmas season started, Frankie the owl swooped by after his nightly rounds to chat with her.
He made Little Bird aware of an older man who lived across from the church. This older man lived alone, had to work 6 days a week, and was only able to sleep late on Sundays. Frankie also knew the man didn’t know the Creator in a personal way. His sleep was being disturbed by Little Bird’s early singing, and Frankie was concerned this might drive him further away from wanting to know the Creator in a personal way.
Little Bird was crestfallen. As much as she loved to sing, she certainly didn’t want to keep anyone from knowing Christ in a personal way. But her very nature was to sing; after all, she was a songbird. Frankie provided wise counsel: “Why don’t you just start later in the morning when the man wakes up? You can still sing, just not so early.”
So Little Bird did the unusual thing for a songbird to do; she didn’t sing before mid-morning from then on. She would perch on a branch outside the man’s window and keep watch while he slept. When he would awake, she would chirp a few notes quietly to see the man’s reaction. In most cases, having gotten the sleep he needed, he would smile and “tweet” back to Little Bird. She then would begin singing her Christmas carols happily.
Paul is continuing his message to the Corinthians by stating that even though he is a free man and has certain rights, he gives up those rights to reach people for Christ. “…to the Jews, I became as a Jew…to those under the law, as under the law…to the weak I became as weak…” Paul was sensitive to the audiences that he might reach for Christ, and thus would accommodate his audience (without compromising Christ’s law…let me reiterate what Paul stressed here), in order to reach them, not push them away by his behavior or clinging to his cultural norms.
How about you, Christian? Aren’t there audiences you can reach today outside of the church building? How about co-workers? How about your neighbors? How about those who you engage in hobbies or sports with? Our God wants to build relationships with them too…it just might mean you reach out in a way that you’re not accustomed to.
Something to think about.
Combing The Word 