S(1 Corinthians 10:32,33) Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, that they may be saved.
O
Trying to please everyone in everything could be very healthy or disastrously sick. So, in this section, the Holy Spirit provided guard rails that keeps our relationships in healthy motion. (1) Help people (v. 23). (2) Build people up (v. 23). (3) Seek all forms of good for others (v. 24). (4) Filter all choices so what remains is an enhanced display of God's image in each person (v. 31). (5) Promote pleasure (v. 33). (6) Leverage circumstances into advantages for others (v. 33). (7) Direct everyone into the riches of salvation through Jesus Christ (v. 33).
A
Giving people whatever they want is craziness. If I merely try to please everyone out of fear of ... whatever ... then I become a slave and I lose my unique identity as a special creation of God's. I betray myself and do no good to the people I'm pretending to please. I become confusing clutter. By heeding God's guard rails I heal broken relationships and clean up the wreckage of our social landscape.
P
God, help me first to be willing to become as eager as Paul was to please others, and in doing that, help me also to raise my standard of care to Your levels. Trying to please everyone while ignoring Your standards of love is just slavery. I want to be free to truly love people.
No comments:
Post a Comment