I once read a story of a pastor who, when he was a young believer, was charged with preaching the Gospel door-to-door within the inner city. He came to a particular apartment one afternoon and a young mother opened the door. He asked if he could share his faith with her, and she said he could enter her apartment only if he returned with a pack of cigarettes and some much-needed diapers for her baby. The young pastor went to the corner store and purchased both requests. Although not a smoker himself, he sat on the floor of her squalid apartment, cigarette in-hand, playing with her baby and preaching the Gospel to her upon his return.
The pastor jokingly asserted that God would surely overlook his smoking a few cigarettes for the sake of sharing the hope and love of Christ with a non-believer.
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, the Apostle Paul declared,
“Though I am free and belong to no one,
I have made myself a slave to everyone
to win as many as possible.
To the Jews I became like a Jew,
to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),
so as to win those under the law.
To those not having the law I became like one not having the law
(though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),
so as to win those not having the law.
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.
I have become all things to all people
so that by all possible means I might save some.
I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
The Apostle Paul was once a persecutor of Christians. After his conversion to Christianity, Paul sets his life mission towards preaching the Gospel to as many people as he could reach, sacrificing his comfort, security, and eventually his life in order to do so.
Not all of us will be called to become martyrs of the faith like Paul. But, there will be times when we are provided opportunities to share the Good News with a non-believer or a questioning believer, possibly in an uncomfortable or uneasy situation.
In order to reach those who do not yet have a relationship with Christ, what does it mean to “become all things to all people”? Many have misinterpreted Paul’s words to mean that believers must, to some degree, engage in similar behaviors of those whom they are trying to reach. How else would connections be made or trust be gained? Yet during Jesus’s ministry on earth, while the religious elite may have chastised Him for spending time with sinners, Christ never engaged in sin Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:21.) However, He frequently ventured outside of His comfort zone and met people where they were. Through simple conversations, sharing meals, and finding common ground, Jesus reached across social barriers and ensured that the least and the lost knew they were special, worthy, and loved.
Years ago, my husband had an opportunity to visit a men’s prison with a friend from church, who was involved in a prison ministry program. He was able to join their Bible study, witness to them, and pray with them; he said it was a very humbling experience.
For those who volunteer with the program, it is not the appropriate setting to discuss topics such as lucrative careers, insignificant marital squabbles, petty financial woes, or “first world problems.” Such subjects would either not resonate with the prisoners or would possibly cause resentment, thus demolishing any chance of being a witness to the men.
In order to reach the incarcerated, those who volunteer often create an emotional connection with the prisoners by sharing stories and testimonies from their own lives. While not physically confined to a cell, volunteers can confide about how they were once spiritual prisoners of their own sins and struggles. Sharing how God and God alone set them free, they can give hope to the prisoners and provide them the promise of the freedom that is only found in Christ Jesus.
Like the Apostle Paul, Christ-followers are free and belong to no one. We are liberated through our relationship with Jesus. We do not operate under legalism that forces us to become a slave to – or have an obligation to – others. Paul desired for people to have an opportunity to receive salvation through Christ, just like he had experienced. All that Paul sacrificed to reach non-believers, he did of his own accord and free will – so that by all possible means he might save some.
When presented with opportunities to share the Gospel with others, “becoming all things to all people” looks like asking for God’s guidance and wisdom on how to reach non-believers where they are. Sharing a meal with someone who is hungry, providing kindness and compassion to someone who is hurting, finding common ground with someone who we might not otherwise connect with…
… or sitting on the floor of a shabby apartment. Cigarette optional.