Finding common ground (1)

Sat, 2 Dec 2023

‘I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.’ 1 Corinthians 9:22

To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, ‘For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.’ (1 Corinthians 9:20-22 NKJV) Connecting with people means entering into their world and experiencing things from their point of view. When it came to preaching the truth, Paul wouldn’t yield an inch. But when it came to reaching and influencing people for Christ, he tried to remove every roadblock between them and Christ. And you must be willing to do the same. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. That’s why you must approach them heart-first, not headfirst. Before someone can receive the truth you have to share, they must be convinced that you love and care for them. And that means finding common ground.