Intention

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“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.” - 1 Corinthians 9:22 – St. Paul

Sometimes there’re good intentions, and sometimes there’re bad. Sometimes there is innocence, and sometimes there is malice aforethought. And sometimes there is the desire to deceive, while at other times there is good will and the love to influence for the good. Paul knew who he was and what he was about, and his desire was to love and influence for what he understood to be the greatest thing in the world: the saving love of God in Jesus Christ. Paul wanted everyone to know that, and for everyone to be saved.

Today, salvation is a much, and oft, misunderstood term; many seem to ridicule the concept of being saved from sin self, and Satan. They might merrily muse: what the bleep is that!? Many are so blind and lost, they haven’t a clue that there is anything wrong. To them, it’s just a dog-eat-dog world. That’s the power of sin, self, Satan; none of which is omnipotent or insurmountable, but certainly viewed as such by those caught up in them.

And it was to these Paul sought to save, some. Not all, although that was his intention, but Paul knew he had to take the world as it was, not as he wished it to be. Some will, some won’t; who’s next? But not everybody wants to be saved and it is certainly noteworthy, that some of the some haven’t hit the bottom just yet. Not everyone needs to crash and burn, but crashing and burning is useful in getting the attention of some. It sure worked for me.

Everybody needs saved – even the saved need saving because salvation is both momentary and progressive. It’s like growing up: sometimes it happens all at once in some never repeatable event, but most the time it just takes time. And the calling of the child of God is to recognize that he needs to reach out to everyone in hope of saving some.

Paul sought to identify with everybody, but his strength was he empathized with them. Empathy says: I feel for you even if I haven’t walked down your road. We all hurt, we all have struggles – disappointment, frustration, agony, emptiness, and on and on it goes. Empathy doesn’t solve the issues but it says: I feel for you and want to do whatever I can to help and encourage you in hope that life will change for you. Empathy is the “I feel” for that which you feel. I think our calling is to feel and to seek to help the feeling one to seek after God who can save them from whatever it is they’re feeling. That’s salvation.

I know a young couple going through a divorce. It is bitter and mean, and full of vicious actions and reactions. I think they’re beginning to feel they need some help. I think it’s a beginning of repair or replace. I hope I can help them and by all possible means to save them. God does the saving but He uses us for empathy. God can make the dead come to life but He uses us to be the channel through which such miracles come. Like Paul, I want to be up to the task.

Lord, You call us to be all things to as many people as we can. That, I think, means empathizing with them and showing them the way to You, to help them out of the quagmire in which they find themselves. So, help me to pray, to act, and to come alongside and empathize with the hurting and stupid, that they might find You and, somehow, be saved… Amen