Making Ourselves Slaves to the World

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” – 1 Corinthians 9:19

                With many of the current social movements, one can see that people are strongly against feeling like they belong to someone.  Many women are no longer taking their husband’s name, because they want to be their own person, not having to take on a man’s last name.  Many people are not even getting married anymore, so that they will not have an attachment or obligation to their significant others.  Everyone wants to live for themselves, nobody wants to make a commitment.  If one so chooses to, it is extremely easy to cut oneself off from the world, to not be attached to anything or anyone.  In order for this to be possible one has to truly not care about the relationships they have with the people around them -  they have to be completely centered on self.  So many times within society we see people starting to feel attached to people or a person, and so they cut themselves off or hurt the person, to break the attachment.  We, as Christians, have that same freedom.  We could cut ourselves off from the world, we could segregate ourselves.  But, if we look at Christ’s example, I don’t think that is what God would will for our lives.

                To be a servant to all people opens a door to be hurt by many people.  That is why so many people find it is easier to live for self, because then no one can hurt them (except themselves).  But, if we walk into this world scared of how it can hurt us, how big have we made our God?  Do we really have confidence in His will for our lives, do we have confidence in His love for us?  Jesus said that the world would know us by our love for one another.  We can’t show love to people, if we refuse to “belong” to anyone.  Jesus was a servant for all men, He died on the cross even though He knew many of His children would just turn around and spit in His face.  Jesus was abandoned by those He had poured himself into for three years, He healed ten lepers and only one came back to thank Him, Jesus was a servant to all men not matter the consequences.  When we give our lives to Christ He gives us two commands: love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself.  If we truly love our neighbors, why would we hide the One who has saved us from them?  We could be the one God wants to use in their life to bring them to a saving knowledge of Him.  Why would we watch them walk down the path to hell, instead of being a servant and letting God work through us?  Truly, this is using our liberty for the flesh instead of using our liberty for the glory of God.  Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”