Get Over Yourself

1 Corinthians 9:22

“To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

Change. I tend to hate that word out of selfishness, because it usually impacts only me. In my mind, change means that I have done something wrong, or that I am not good enough, so I need to fix myself. Or maybe it has nothing to do with me, and I am simply effected by the choices another person made. Either way, change has never been a dear friend of mine. But the change in this verse is not negative, it is indeed a positive change. It is adaptability. It is exactly what Jesus did for us. It is hard to imagine that the God of the universe would manifest in human flesh, just to reach mankind and become one of us. The Bible says that God sent Jesus to this world to be the ultimate sacrifice, the perfect lamb of God, who would take our debt and pay it in full. But Jesus also came to earth in order to experience all of the same trials we face. He wanted to be relatable, He wanted me to know just how much he cared for me. The life of Jesus is the greatest example of adaptability that has ever existed. If the Son of God could leave the glorious, incomprehensible, beauty of heaven to meet me in this horribly wicked earth, than I should be able to go out to any people group on any continent, and become like one of them. Of course I must not conform my beliefs, values, and morals, but I must be willing to step out of my comfort zone and enter into a way of life that might be uncomfortable, or foreign. In order to have effective ministry, I must adapt to the surrounding culture. If this means that I have to eat foreign foods, wear different clothes, carry myself or speak in a different manner, then I will, and I will do it all for the glory of God, even if my actions only plants a seed in one heart, it will be worth it. I must remember that I might be the first glimpse of Jesus that these people see, and that is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. I am the hands and feet of the Lord, and I am his mouthpiece. Every word I speak, every move I make, every action I carry out, is a reflection of Christ in me. Jesus, help me to get over myself, and reach out to people with your unending, everlasting love. May I be willing to become all things for all men, even if it only impacts one soul. To you be the glory, forever and ever! 

Application: This week I will pray for the people of Kenya every day. I will pray that their hearts are softened to the word of God, and I will pray that God will use me to reach that one lonely soul.