City Life Starter

Written by Megan Meier

The Word

Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (MSG)

Reflection

Confession: I am a super-introvert. I could only pass as an extrovert if I had intense acting lessons. But God doesn’t want us to pretend we’re someone we’re not, especially when making disciples. Some versions of the passage above confused me, they made Paul look like an actor: Jewish around Jews, Christian around Christians, weak around those who were weak. But The Message version clarified Paul’s letter. He’s not being an actor, he’s being a servant. Paul isn’t saying be a poser to win disciples, he’s saying to relate to those you are witnessing to. Be yourself and find common ground with those you are witnessing to. 

Application

Befriend those you are witnessing to (but remember, they’re people, not projects). If someone is struggling with their faith, help them, maybe even share your story, or a part of it that they will relate to. 

If you don’t know where to start, do as Pastor Chris says and be SALT:

o   Start a conversation

§  Don’t forget to smile, I know they won’t be able to see it through face masks, but they can see the smile in your eyes (or “smize” as Tyra Banks would call it, if any of you have mastered the art of smizing, please teach me one day!). 

o   Ask questions

§  Maybe a simple, “Hey, how are you today?” or “You look sad, do you feel comfortable talking about it?” or “If God can do a miracle in your life, what would it be?” 

o   Listen to learn

§  In Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the fifth habit is “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Or listen to understand, not to respond. 

o   Tell your/the story

§  This is where Paul’s instruction comes in: find common ground in your stories. And let it be a catalyst to tell The Story. 

Prayer

Dear Lord, help my story to be a catalyst in telling Your Story to others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.