FEEDING THE WEAK

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. -- 1 Corinthians 9:22

My husband is a hopeless carnivore. I don't mean "skip-the-flame," rare-meat eater kind. For him, it's quite the opposite. If the burger's still mooing, it's not cooked enough. And since he's the one firing up the charcoal briquettes, we're pretty much at his mercy. I don't like bloody meat either, but I'm not too keen on Holstein-flavored chewing gum! Our son shares my sentiment. He has no problem eating the burgers from Wendy's, but he has a hard time finishing his dad's home-cooked shoe leather on a bun (oops - I mean burgers).

Now some people can chew on the tough stuff; others operate from a different taste palate. If you're the one wearing the "Kiss the Cook" apron, the trick is to poll your hungry eaters and serve them a meal that whets more than their whistle. It leaves their soul hungering for more. Take for example, our presentation of the gospel. If you're anything like me, we can't contain our excitement over what God has done in our lives. Yet, sometimes in our zest to "reach and preach," we end up feeding the world the gospel according to our taste buds and it may come off as a little too tough to chew.

You and I both know God is phenomenal! We know He is awesome! And in my best vernacular, we know God is "all that and a bag of chips!" But there are those yet to "taste and see that the Lord is good!" They're either stuffed from the usual, yet unsatisfying fare of the world or starving for a more eternally-rewarding dining experience. That's why I believe Paul needed to share his recipe for witnessing to a gospel-starved world -- "to the weak, I became weak to win the weak."

The moral: When given the opportunity to present the gospel to a stressed-out co-worker, a bewildered friend or a perplexed stranger, take a tip from "Chef Paul." First, listen to their heart's order and present their request to Jesus, the Master Chef. His menu selections are cooked just right to win over a spiritually-hungry appetite!