I
Have Made Myself A Slave To Everyone
Though I am free and belong to no
one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To
the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became
like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those
not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free
from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to
win those not having the law. 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. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share
in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the
prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it
to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last
forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running
aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to
my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.
1
Corinthians 9:19-27
In the 1994
fictional movie Forrest Gump, Forrest becomes famous for running. What
began as a jog “to the end of the road” continued for three years, two months,
fourteen days, and sixteen hours. Each time he arrived at his destination, he
set another one and continued to run, zig-zagging across the United States,
until one day when he no longer felt like it. “Feeling like it” was the way his
running began. Forrest says, “That day, for no particular reason, I decided to
go for a little run.”
In contrast
to Forrest’s seemingly whimsical running, the apostle Paul asks his readers to
follow his example and “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians
9:24). Like disciplined athletes, our running—the way we live our lives—might
mean saying no to some of our pleasures. Being willing to forgo our rights
might help us reach others with the good news of our rescue from sin and death.
With our
hearts and minds trained on the goal of inviting others to run the race
alongside us, we are also assured of the ultimate prize—eternal fellowship with
God. The victor’s crown God bestows will last forever; we win it by running our
lives with the aim of making Him known while relying on His strength to do so.
What a reason to run!
What
is your “aim” in life? How is it similar to or different than Paul’s?
Jesus, help me stay focused on the
reason I run: to share about You with those around me.
Our Daily Bread – November 15, 2019