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Training to reach “all people”

June 7, 2024
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Daily Scripture

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

19 Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them. 20 I act like a Jew to the Jews, so I can recruit Jews. I act like I’m under the Law to those under the Law, so I can recruit those who are under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law). 21 I act like I’m outside the Law to those who are outside the Law, so I can recruit those outside the Law (though I’m not outside the law of God but rather under the law of Christ). 22 I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. 23 All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
24 Don’t you know that all the runners in the stadium run, but only one gets the prize? So run to win. 25 Everyone who competes practices self-discipline in everything. The runners do this to get a crown of leaves that shrivel up and die, but we do it to receive a crown that never dies. 26 So now this is how I run—not without a clear goal in sight. I fight like a boxer in the ring, not like someone who is shadowboxing. 27 Rather, I’m landing punches on my own body and subduing it like a slave. I do this to be sure that I myself won’t be disqualified after preaching to others.

Daily Reflection & Prayer

Paul the apostle was convinced that God had called him to give his life to reaching other people with the good news of Jesus. His words to the Corinthians about that mission practically vibrated with engagement and energy. To reach people for Christ Paul was willing to shift tactics, adapt and stretch. He used two major features of the Olympic games of his day, foot races and boxing, as images to convey how seriously he pursued God’s mission.

  • The phrase “I have become all things to all people” makes some people uneasy. Was Paul talking about being phony, inauthentic, even deceptive in dealing with others? No—Paul always clearly shared his unshakeable conviction about the risen Jesus, in this letter and others. But he was truly eager to connect with people unlike himself. How can you be true to yourself, and still genuinely set aside personal preferences to connect with others who are different from you?
  • We often hear about an athlete or a team training intensely for a big event. There are times when fans and broadcasters criticize an athlete whose performance seems to reflect a lack of preparation. Think about Paul’s Olympic imagery—what was the life-long “event” for which Paul was training, and inviting us to “run to win”? How do you train spiritually? What kinds of spiritual training call on you to practice the kind of self-discipline Paul spoke of in verse 25?

Prayer

O God, help me to hear your voice more clearly, and then to have a gritty, engaged will to follow you. Amen.

GPS Insights

Picture of Darren Lippe

Darren Lippe

Darren Lippe serves as a Couples Small Group co-leader & Men's Group Leader, while volunteering in a variety of other capacities at Resurrection. He and his wife, Doris, first met in a Resurrection Single Adult Sunday School class in 1997 and were married in what is now the Student Center. They are empty nesters with 2 college-aged sons, Matthew and Jacob.

May was a busy month with graduation parties, several weddings, reunions, & cookouts. This gave me multiple opportunities to interact in all sorts of conversational settings, be it in line for a slice of wedding cake, reviewing a high school memory board, or queuing up at the grill. While a huge majority of the conversations were extremely interesting & enjoyable, I also observed some different conversational habits. I’ve condensed these thought-provoking interactions into one imaginary scene at a dinner with a stranger during a wedding reception:

As we pass the rolls & butter, the guest to my left starts to rapidly make a series of pronouncements ranging from how much they dreaded the hot summer, to mentioning their distaste for meat, to how they now don’t follow the Royals anymore because they can’t watch them on their basic cable package.

I respond politely, “Um.  That’s nice. But I just asked if you could pass the ranch dressing.”

Now, with their opening salvo eliminating my “go-to” safe topics, like the weather, or which KC Barbeque restaurant they prefer, or “how ‘bout them Royals,” I lamely ask, “Isn’t it funny how just a little slice of red onion makes a salad extra zesty?” 

At this point my wife, Doris, gives me a puzzled look & then, correctly assessing the desperation of my conversational gambit, subtly skooches her chair closer to the other guests to let me face my awkward tête-à-tête all alone.  (To be fair, I don’t blame Doris a bit. My mantra during such uncomfortable social moments is: “It’s too late for me; save yourself.”)

It occurred to me that recently we’ve all become tempted to become a tad self-centered & more focused on our own views/opinions rather than making the effort to engage in any genuine dialogue. (I certainly include myself in this group, especially when I repeat a joke because no one laughed as heartily as I think the quip deserved; thus, the only logical conclusion is they must not have understood the punch line, or I need to say it louder.)

Interestingly, it doesn’t even have to be issues of great importance; it could just be mundane topics that happen to be the center of our own universe. I would submit that we are just a few short months from the popular meme becoming a reality: Pastor at a graveside ceremony: “Would anyone like to say any final words, before I conclude the service?” Pall Bearer (solemnly): “Yes. I’m on day 3 of my 8-day juice cleanse.”

I would suggest that we all learned from our early childhood days that there are probably more productive ways to conduct conversations or to create connections. It seems like these skills have become a bit rusty. Perhaps this is one reason why loneliness is on the rise & people feel increasingly isolated & abandoned. What if we returned to our default/factory settings & made a genuine effort to develop new relationships & social connections with those around us? We could go “old school” & take some tips from the 1937 book How to Win Friends & Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie. (Disclosures: When my Dad graduated from K-State & moved to Chicago in 1959, his 1st employer had him take a Dale Carnegie course. Our sons, Matthew & Jacob, are reading the book this summer.)

Some tips to consider:

  • Be an attentive listener – develop an understanding of the other person before you start voicing your opinions. 
  • Always seek to learn – It’s hard to learn anything new when you are always talking. Find out about others’ life-experiences; learn more about their jobs, or their fields of expertise. 
  • Be empathetic – develop the habit of understanding the other person’s point-of-view & look at topics from their perspective as well as your own. You don’t have to change your opinion, but perhaps your own view may become more nuanced or enhanced with the additional information. 
  • Smiling never hurts – a friendly smile can be a great start to developing camaraderie. Or, conversely, as one curmudgeon noted, “I like to start each day with a smile – and get it over with.”

As we consider Paul’s counsel in today’s passage (Hallelujah! A Biblical reference – Editor.), we need to consider the best ways to build a rapport with others. After all, it’s awfully hard to convincingly tell someone what a friend we have in Jesus, unless we’ve made an effort to befriend them ourselves.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I just received some texts in reaction to the joke I sent to my boys this morning: “Good one, Dad.” & “Too funny!” Hmmm. It would appear one of them has read the chapter in Carnegie’s book about words of honey/affirmation. (The exclamation point was the tip-off.)

(Sigh–I’ll ask. What was the joke? – Editor.) “I’m torn between 2 girlfriends. One makes outstanding pancakes & the other writes beautiful poems. Shall I marry for batter or for verse?” – DL (Yes–the exclamation point was definitely excessive – Editor.)

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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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