The Missionary's Motto

To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have
 become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

I Corinthians 9:22

 

 

Part Four: Laying Aside My Self, For the Sake of Others

 

 

Many years ago, I had a friend who got a job as a secretary to a Jewish rabbi.  Raised in a Baptist church, she was a little nervous about the job, unsure what would be expected of her.  Her fears proved to be unfounded.  The rabbi was a good boss and she enjoyed her work.  Several months passed and as Christmas approached, she wondered about whether it would be appropriate to buy her boss a present.  When she overheard him telling another worker about how much he liked the Christmas present that one of his Christian friends had given him, she decided that it would be alright for her to do the same.

 

Her good intentions quickly turned to disaster.  When it came to choosing a gift for the rabbi, her lack of understanding of the Jewish faith became her downfall.  I can only imagine her chagrin when her boss kindly rejected the present that she had brought for him; a nice, big Honeybaked Ham. Fortunately for my friend, her boss was a very understanding man and was not offended by her gift, realizing that her intention was to honor him.

 

On the mission field, it is vital that we go beyond good intentions. We must make a concerted effort not to offend the sensibilities of those that we seek to evangelize. Instead, we must understand the culture that we are entering into and work within that culture to reach the lost. Like the apostle, Paul, we must strive to become "all things to all men." However, this process does not come naturally to most of us because it requires sacrifice on our part; not a sacrifice of time and money, but a sacrifice of who we perceive ourselves to be.

 

In order to become all things, we must first lay aside our selves.  That may mean letting go of the things that are so much of who we are: our personal rights, the way we like to dress, how we talk and act; so as not to offend those that we have come to serve.  It is vital on the mission field (as it should be when we are at home) that we remove from our lives any thing that might hinder us from evangelizing the lost.

 

It is not surprising that the word "selfish" comes from the word "self."  If we focus on our selves, we have nothing to give to others.  Selfishness is the antithesis of love because selfishness is to love one's self.  The ability to reach the lost for Christ requires a denial of self.  Jesus showed us this at the cross.

 

Whether you are preparing for your hundredth missionary trip or just considering the possibility of going, remember the missionary's motto: "I have become all things to all men."  Ask yourself if you have reached the point in your spiritual walk where you have laid down your self and allowed yourself to be used by Christ to reach the world.