Committed or Fake?
If you are going to commit to do something, you might as well give it your all.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified. - 1 Corinthians 9:19-27
Today's reading from Paul's letter may seem a bit confusing at first. He talks about being free and yet acting like a slave, about being strong and yet becoming weak, about appearing to be outside the law for those who are outside the law.
He is sounding like a salesman.
Whatever it takes to get the message out, to win people over to the cause, Paul will do it. Is that a sign of commitment or dishonesty?
I don't think he is trying to be dishonest, because he chooses to become weak to win over the weak, to become like those he wants to win over to Christ. He believes he doesn't have to follow the laws of the Jews, and yet he does to show them they too can be followers of Christ.
It is a bold move, and one he would not be able to get away with today, for he would be called out as fake on social media.
It reminds me of job hunting, in a way. When looking for a job, don't we play up the skills the job requires and play down the roles we had that don't fit the bill?
We sell ourselves by making ourselves look like the person they are seeking. Paul does the same thing. He is applying for a job as a guidance counselor to those who need Christ.
It may seem odd or phony, but it is what we all do from time to time. We mold ourselves into the person that fits the bill.
Well, maybe people don't do it as much these days, claiming to be more independent and self-aware, but if we look hard enough, we may find that fitting in is still in vogue.
More to come...