I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. ! Corinthians 9:22,23.
Trying to please everybody all the time is a recipe for rapid burnout, crippling anxiety and continual failing against an impossible list of demands. That is certainly not what Paul intended.
Paul’s whole life had been turned around just after the supremely confident young man set out to Damascus to imprison and reconvert Christian believers back to the ‘one true faith’. When the Risen Christ appears to him, he was blinded physically, but suddenly started to see and understand a whole lot better. Knowing that Christ was real, had defeated death and sin, and is the living power of God changed his whole life. Now his passion and drive was to share that life-giving Christ with all, Jews and non-Jews.
As much as possible, Paul tried to blend in wherever he was. With Jews, he followed Jewish dietary laws and daily practices. He did this, fully aware that he was not earning his salvation by doing this. He was seeking opportunities to go through scriptures with them and to point to Christ as the Messiah.
When amongst non-Jews, he ate whatever was set before him. He didn’t worry about whether people or households were clean or unclean according to Jewish law. He didn’t see himself as made unclean because of this. He was following the deeper ‘law of Christ’ which is to be a servant as Christ was.
You do not have to please everybody all the time. You do have Christ at the very centre of who you are. That basic change of our sinful self-centred hearts into a place of joy and trust is constantly happening. The conversion from ‘I have to make it all happen’ to ‘I’m starting to live in Christ’s strength and timing’ frees us up to look for ways to support others. May your life be less stressed and fearful as you look for ways to be more ‘you’ in Christ’s service.
