YOU ARE UNDER GOD'S PROTECTION

'He...shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' Psalm 91:1 NKJV

What is 'the shadow of the Almighty'? In the wilderness where Israel wandered for forty years, temperatures could get up to 120 or 130 degrees. There was no shade except what was provided by the tents in which the people lived. So they understood this powerful metaphor, 'under the shadow of the Almighty'.

If you were lost in the desert, the children of Israel were required by the law of hospitality to satisfy your need for food, water, protection from an enemy, and shade from the blistering sun. It worked like this: first you had to find out the chief shepherd's name. Then you would take hold of the cord on his tent and cry out for help. When you did that, the law of hospitality required him to take you into the safety of his tent. Indeed, that same law said he had to protect you with his very life. Are you getting the idea? God's name, EI Shaddai, describes two wonderful aspects of His character. 'EI' speaks of His power and strength. 'Shaddai literally means 'strong-breasted-one', which refers to the gentleness of a nursing mother. Some days you have to go to Him and let Him hold you in His arms and comfort you. 

The poet wrote, 'Let me no more my comfort draw, from my frail grasp on Thee; in this alone rejoice with awe - Thy mighty grasp of me.' When things get too 'hot' for you, run to 'the shadow of the Almighty'.

BLIND CHANCE Vs GOD'S COMMAND

'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous.' Psalm 139:14 NLT

Could life as we know it plant, animal, and human life have happened spontaneously by chance? Could our amazing solar system be the result of an accident? The more advanced science becomes, the more evidence there is for a Master Designer. Researchers continue to uncover the divine order in each tiny human cell.

American biochemist Bruce Albert, former president of the National Academy of Science, writes, 'We have always underestimated cells; undoubtedly we still do...Cells are the basic unit of life...indeed the entire cell can be viewed as a factory that contains an elaborate network of interlocking assembly lines, each of which is composed of a set of different protein machines in defined positions.' The psalmist David wasn't a scientist, yet he recognised that each of us is a complex product of God's amazing hands! 'You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb...You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion...woven together in the dark of the womb...How precious are your thoughts about me...They cannot be numbered!... And when I wake up, you are still with me! (vv. 13, 15, 17-18 NLT). The average human heart beats 115,000 times a day. Our blood travels 12,000 miles every day (about twenty times the length of the UK from northern Scotland to southern England). Adults take an average of 18,000 to 30,000 breaths a day, and for the most part, we do all these functions without realizing it. Amazing! 

Today, stop and take a few minutes to acknowledge and thank your Creator for the amazing things He did with that first clump of dirt.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

'You shall love the Lord your God with all your...mind.' Mark 12:39 NKJV

God created us with the capacity to keep learning until the day we die, something we shouldn't take for granted. ' A wise man will hear, and will increase learning...'(Proverbs 1:5).

The average brain weighs about three pounds, yet neurologists estimate that we can learn something new every second, every minute, every hour, every day for the next three hundred million years. Awesome, right? But it's more than that. It's a stewardship matter. Jesus said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength .' It's impossible to determine the percentage of our minds we use, but all of us have untapped potential. Your imagination is capable of considerably more than you can dream. Yet somewhere along the way, most of us stop living out of imagination and start living out of memory. We stop designing the future and start copying the past. And that is the day we cease living and begin dying. Why? Because we stop educating ourselves. Loving God with all your mind requires maximising your mind by learning as much as possible about as much as possible. The true litmus test of spiritual maturity isn't the quantity you know. It's knowing the quantity you know. It's knowing the quantity you don't know. 

It's reconciling yourself with the reality that God is not an object of comprehensive knowledge as much as He is a source of wonder. And that sacred sense of wonder ignites a holy curiosity to keep learning more about the Creator and His creation.

GOD AND YOUR WORK

'Whatever you do, do well.' Ecclesiastes 9:10 NLT

In the Bible, you will notice that everybody works! And most of its heroes had secular vocations. Issac developed land, Jacob was a farmer, and Joseph served God best by staying in his well-paying government job rather than starting a non-profit, faith-based organisation to do charity work. Daniel was an immigrant who attended Babylon's version of Oxford and grew to be prime minister. Lydia was a profitable businesswoman in textiles. 

Conceivably, the ultimate expression of how much God values work is Jesus the carpenter. More than three-quarters of His life, He occupied Himself in the building profession, creating benches and tables, and was translate 'carpenter' comes from the Greek word tekton, from which we get our word technology, and it would contain the capability to do stone or masonry work. The Bible was penned by workers, about workers, and for workers. Work was God's idea. 'The Lord God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it' (Genesis 2:15 NIV). The first man, Adam, was a landscaper. By identifying what you have been called to do in life and giving yourself fully to it, you are as 'ordained' as any pastor who stands in a pulpit. It's a pity we use the word secular when it comes to any kind of work other than church work, because God doesn't see it that way.

All honest work earns His smile of approval. When it comes to work, the thing He requires from you is wrapped up in these words: 'Whatever you do, do well.'

GOD'S FIRST COMMISSION TO US

'Fill the earth and govern it.' Genesis 1:28 NLT

The first thing God told Adam and Eve to do was to 'fill the earth and govern it'. The fact that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden doesn't mean they were limited to the Garden of Eden. God told them to 'fill the earth and govern it'. 

Stop and think about it. God was inviting Adam and Eve to explore. Everything outside Eden was uncharted territory. They could travel 24,759 miles in any direction and never see the same landscape twice. There were 196,949,970 square miles of virgin territory to explore. One way we glorify God is by exploring and educating ourselves about everything He has created. One author explains: 'The astronomer who charts the stars, the geneticist who maps the human genome, the researcher who seeks a cure for Parkinson's disease, the oceanographer who explores the barrier reef, the ornithologist who studies and preserves rare bird species, the physicist who tries to catch quarks, the chemist who charts molecular structures, and the theologian who studies God have one thing in common. All of them are explorers. They are fulfilling the Genesis commission. And their exploration honours God if it's done for the right reasons and results in the right response to know Him and to worship Him.' There will always be some scientists who arrive at atheistic conclusions. But rather than abandon science, we have been called to reclaim it. 

If God created everything, then everything carries His holy fingerprint; all truth is God's truth. Abraham Kuyper said, 'There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, 'This is mine! This belongs to me!''

A WHOLE NEW APPROACH

'The word became flesh.' John 1:14 NKJV

When the angel visited Mary, he said, 'Don't be frightened...God has decided to... bless you! (Luke 1:30 TLB). Yet when it comes to approaching God directly, many religions are ruled by fear. 

Philip Yancey says: 'Certainly the Jews associated fear with worship...A person "blessed" with a direct encounter with God expected to come away scorched or glowing or maybe (in pain) like Jacob...Among people who walled off a separate sanctum for God in the temple and shrank from pronouncing or spelling out the name. God made a surprise appearance as a baby in a manger. In Jesus, God found a way of relating to human beings that did not involve fear...A New Covenant...that would not emphasize the...gulf between God and humanity but instead would span it...I learned about incarnation when I kept a saltwater aquarium...You would think, in view of all the energy expended on their behalf, that my fish would at least be grateful. Not so. Every time my shadow loomed above the tank, they dove for cover...to them I was deity...too large for them, my actions too incomprehensible. My acts of mercy they saw as cruelty, my attempts at healing ...as destruction. To change their perceptions...I would have to become a fish is nothing compared to God becoming a baby. Yet...that is what happened at Bethlehem.' 

The God who created matter took shape within it, as an artist might become a spot on a painting or a playwright a character within his own play. God wrote a story, only using real characters, on the pages of real history. 'The Word became flesh.'

'SILENT NIGHT'?

'You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.' Luke 1:31 NIV

We have sung the words of that Christmas carol since infancy. But those words actually do not come from Scripture. 'Silent Night' was a poet written by an Austrian poet in 1816. The words conjure up a serene picture with the happy couple watching their newborn baby. It's not likely, however, that there was silence.

 After an exhausting journey on a donkey, Joseph and the very pregnant Mary didn't check into the master suite of the Bethlehem Grand Hotel. They begged the use of an animal shelter, complete with the clatter and scents of barnyard animals - anything but silent! Ask any mother about giving birth. Even with the help of modern pain-reducing medicines and sterilised environments, the bravest women rarely remain silent while giving birth. For Mary, Joseph, and Jesus - this was hardly a silent night! 'Oh, Holy Night ': of all nights in history, this was the most holy. 

God set in motion His eternal plan to come to earth as the Redeemer of lost people. 'God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them' (2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV). Jesus came to take on Himself the sins of doomed humanity, so 'that we might become the righteousness of God in Him' (v. 21 NKJV). It doesn't get any holier than that! 'All is calm, all is right': on that holiest of nights, our spiritual and moral darkness was forever dispelled by Jesus, the Light of the World. And our fears as lost sinners were replaced by the peace and joyful assurance that we are His eternally forgiven people.

THE POWER OF SHARED FAITH

'Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?' Amos 3:3 NKJV

If your attraction to partners is found only in the way they look, imagine how they might look twenty-five years from now. Regular exercise and good diet will only take you so far; then Mother Nature and Further Time begin to take their toll. The truth is that looks may bring you together, but only commitment and a shared faith will keep you together! 

The Bible says, 'Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 NLT). That doesn't mean the two of you must hold identical views on every issue and practice your faith in similar ways. But you need the same values and views regarding the fundamentals of your faith - how you view God, the role of the church, and personal practices. 'Can two walk together unless they are agreed? Faith is the indescribable strength, that secret weapon of the soul that shows us how to persevere even when the facts seem damning and the truth unbearable. It's what keeps us going when we're not sure we can continue. It's the light that leads us out of the darkness, and the map that guides our way. Without faith, we would probably pull over to the side of the road, give up, and watch everyone else pass us by. 

But when we trust in the Lord and believe that He will guide us, there is almost nothing we cannot withstand and walk through together.

KIDS AND KITES

'A man shall leave his father and mother.' - Mathew 19:5 NKJV

If you're a parent, letting go of your children is often one of the toughest phases of parenting. 

Erma Bombeck compared it to flying a kite. Mum and Dad run down the road hoping to catch a breeze. Eventually, and with much effort, they manage to hoist the kite a few feet in the air. Just when they think it is safely underway, great danger looms. It dives towards electric lines and twirls perilously near the trees. It is a scary moment. Then, unexpectedly, a gust of wind catches the kites and carries them upward. Mum and Dad begin feeding line as rapidly as they can. The kite then becomes difficult to hold. Parents reach the end of their line and begin to wonder what to do next. The little craft demands more freedom. It rises higher and higher. Dad stands on tiptoe to accommodate the tug; it is now grasped tenuously between his index finger and thumb, held upward towards the sky. Then comes the moment of release. The string slips through his fingers, and the kite soars majestically into God's beautiful sky. The kite is now a mere pinpoint of colour in the sky. The parents are proud of what they have done - but sad to realise that their job is finished. It was a labour of love. 

But where did the years go? Parenting is an exhilarating and terrifying experience, and one that was ordained from the beginning. With the ultimate release, your task as a parent is finished. The kite is free, and so, for the first time in twenty years or so, are you. What's next? Ask God; He has a plan for your life.

PATIENCE, LOVE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT

'I came so close to the edge.' Psalm 73:2 TLB

If you'd met Asaph, who wrote some of the Psalms, you'd probably have thought he hadn't a care in the world. But you'd have been wrong: 'I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.' Then at the end of the psalm he does a one-eighty, and writes, 'My health may fail, and my spirit grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever' (v. 26 NLT). Despite his problems, he chose to speak words to encourage. 

When you have an opportunity to encourage someone, do it. You never know what a person is going through - that's true whether they live in a mansion or a mud hut. Here's an important principle to keep in mind: people tend to become what the most important people in their lives think of them! So, think the best, believe the best, and express the best towards them. You say, 'But they need to stop making the same stupid mistakes!' Change happens by inches, not miles. Even when it seems simple, it's rarely easy. The only way we can break old habits is to form new ones, and that takes time and practice - lots of it. You can't tell people something once and expect them to get it; they need to hear it over and over before they can make the adjustment. And how you tell them can determine whether they freeze in fear or soar above the obstacles. 

Be persistent. Never give up trying to help them improve. Acknowledge every step of progress they make. The way to get lasting results is through patience, love, and encouragement.

CHARACTER (2)

'When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy.' James 1:12 NCV

Because he was handsome, Joseph attracted the unwanted attention of his boss's wife. Day after day, she tried to seduce him. Now fast-forward to later in his life. If Joseph encountered that level of temptation when he was just a household slave, can you imagine the level he was exposed to when he became Egypt's prime minister? Acting with integrity in big ones.

In the hour of temptation, you will be called upon to choose character or compromise. Every time you choose character, you grow stronger, even when it comes at a cost. Observe:

1) Character is more than just talk. Do you remember the old show-and-tell method of teaching in school? If you're all talk and no show, you lose credibility.

2) Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. Generally speaking, talent is something you're born with, and you have little say in it. But character is a choice you get to make each day, and usually it's made when only God and you know about it.

3) Character brings lasting success. It's said that early Stradivarius violins were made from wood taken from the side of trees that had faced the brunt of a storm. Why? Because weather-beaten wood produces the sweetest music. Are you getting the idea?

4) Temporarily you may rise above your character limitations, but you won't be able to sustain it. 

Eventually you will be seen for what you are. So, the word is: don't just work to build your career; work to build your character.

CHARACTER

'A principled life can stand up to the worst.' Proverbs 11:4 MSG

Abraham Lincoln said, 'Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.' It's easier to focus on our talent because, generally speaking, it produces results that others reward and celebrate.

In other words, there is an element of ego connected to our gifts. Character is built in private. Your reputation is what people think you are, but character is what God (and you) know you are. If you want to go the distance, focus more on character than talent. The writer of Proverbs says, 'Live right, and you will eat from the life-giving tree. And if you act wisely, others will follow' (Proverbs 11:30 CEV). If you're praying for greater results, being must precede doing. To achieve greater goals, you must become a person of greater character. When you consistently display character, competence, and purpose, you make a powerful statement to those around you and draw them closer to you. Great things are rarely accomplished alone, so if you want to attract good people, you have to become a better person yourself. This is particularly true if you're a person of great ability. Your talent may lift you up before others, but your lack of character will bring you down. 

The Bible says, 'A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst' (Proverbs 11:4 MSG). A wise leader is willing to admit, 'I'm not perfect, but I know who is. And I'm doing my best to become more and more like Him in my professional and personal life.'

WINNING THE BATTLE OVER APATHY

'Stir up the gift of God which is in you.' 2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

Paul told Timothy, 'Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.' That scripture means, even though you're gifted, you can become apathetic if you don't keep doing the right things. 'Therefore we must give more earnest heed to the things we have hard, lest we drift away' (Hebrews 2:1 NKJV). The word 'drift' is not only slow and subtle, it's deadly. Let's look at two of the things that can rob you of your passion, enthusiasm, motivation, and focus.

1) Lack of goals. 'Without a vision the people perish' (see Proverbs 29:18). What used to enthuse you? What destroyed your interest in it? Is it a desire you could revive? Put it down in writing. Ignore the potential cost or reasons it might not work. Just indulge your mind in the luxury of feeling optimistic and excited about something, even a small thing.

2) Wrong goals. Are you pursuing a goal you feel was imposed upon you by someone else? Or, like Jonah before he was swallowed by the whale, possibly you're rowing against the tide of God's will for your life. Check with Him and see if this is so. Did God really lead you to pamper yourself with that extravagant item that's now requiring you to work two jobs? Or maybe the time has come to an end for a goal that was part of God's plan for a specific season of your life. 

Moving on is sometimes difficult, but oh, the joy and peace of knowing that you are in the centre of God's perfect will.

WHEN YOU FEEL ANGRY

'Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.' James 1:19 NLT

The Bible gives us three keys to handling our anger the right way. Let's look at each one and see what we can learn:

1) 'Be quick to listen.' Don't react, and don't rush to judgment. Slow down and try to get the facts, then prayerfully and carefully consider how God wants you to respond. 

2) 'Slow to speak.' If you're unsure, or you don't know, just say so. There is an old Chinese proverb that says, 'It's better to say nothing and appear to be a fool than open your mouth and confirm it.' You need to be in control, or to look like you have all the answers, can come back to bite you. What you don't say, you won't have to explain or apologise for later. 

3) 'Slow to get angry.' Note, the Bible doesn't say that you should never get angry. It says you should get angry about the right things, in the right way, at the right time. Solomon says, 'Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool' (Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT). That's why it's so important to deal with your hurts. An unhealed wound causes pain, which often manifests itself in anger. The trouble is, we carry our anger around with us and vent it on others. As a result, they distance themselves from us, or distrust us, or deny us the intimacy and closeness we desire with them. The Bible says, 'The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook transgression' (Proverbs 19:11 NKJV). 

Christlike character grows through exercising patience, love, and restraint.

MEDITATE ON THE SCRIPTURES

'I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.' Psalm 119:15

If you want to grow spiritually. In fact, you will never outgrow your diet of Scripture. There is no substitute. There is no supplement. 

The poet T.S Eliot said, 'Everything we eat has some...effect upon us. It affects us during the process of assimilation and digestion; and I believe that exactly the same is true of anything we read.' We are what we read. But let's take that a step further. Reading without meditation is like eating without digesting. If you want to absorb the nutrients, you can't just read it; you have to chew on it. Meditation is the way we metabolise Scripture. That's how it gets into our spirit and our soul. The French writer Jacques Reda had a particular habit. He would walk the streets of Paris with the purpose of seeing one new thing every day. It was how he renewed his love for the city. We renew our love for God in a similar way. Our love grows as we see new dimensions of His personality, and His personality is predominantly revealed in the pages of the Bible. What if we approach God's Word the way Jacques Reda walked the streets of Paris? Here is the secret of spiritual growth: you can't merely read the Bible; you have to meditate on it. 

Reading provides breadth to our understanding, but meditation provides depth. If all we do is read Scripture, our understanding of God and our experience with Him is one-dimensional. The Bible is a kaleidoscope. Each time you turn it, another beautiful pattern of truth is revealed.

SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

'Our word to you does not waver between "Yes" and "No".' 2 Corinthians 1:18 NLT

Paul writes, 'Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say "Yes" when they really mean "No"? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver' (vv.17-18 NLT). 

Paul had learned to set boundaries on his relationships, and you must do the same. A wise man said, 'Never complain about what you permit. 'Unless you set boundaries, you have no right to complain about people who take advantage of you and waste your time. 'Jesus...does not waver between "Yes" and "No"...he always does what they say' (v 19 NLT). And as His follower, you must learn when it's appropriate to say yes and when it's appropriate to say no. When people back you into a corner, confront them promptly, privately, and personally. And if they won't listen, take someone with you. And if they won't listen to both of you, take it to the church leadership (see Mathew 18:15-17). Be clear about what you will and won't tolerate. In the words of the country song. 'You've got to stand for something or you'll for anything.' 

Get comfortable voicing your wishes and preferences without fear of rejection and alienation. Make this your prayer today: 'Lord, let me serve and give to others from a pure heart rather than a need for love and acceptance. On the authority of Your word, I command the spirit of fear that has prevented me from setting healthy boundaries to leave now. I place my trust in You. I will not fear what people can do to me (see Psalm 56:11), in Jesus' name, amen.'

CONTRARY WINDS

'The winds were contrary.' Acts 27:4 KJV

When you set out to do anything for God, the Enemy will make sure you encounter 'contrary winds'. In fact, if you're not sailing against the wind, chances are you're headed in the wrong direction! 

The Bible says Jesus was 'tempted of the devil'  (Mathew 4:1 KJV). Satan never let up, including the night before Jesus was crucified, when 'Satan entered into Judas...one of the twelve' (Luke 22:3 NLT). Reimar Schultze says, 'Wherever you go today, Satan will...try to get you at some street corner, at the office, or in the field. He will make you fall if you leave home without your spiritual armour on; if you leave your belt of truth...in the closet, your breastplate of righteousness...by the door, your gospel shoes under your bed, or if you leave your shield of faith, the sword of the spirit and the helmet of salvation behind you...If you say at daybreak, "I will pray whenever I get a chance today," you just gave away your victory. Before long, the wrong words will come out of your mouth; you will look at forbidden fruits and display an improper attitude. The most foolish thing (you) can do is to leave home unarmed and spiritually naked.

A fool says, "I have no time to attempt to repair the damage prayerlessness...produced...following Jesus is not a walk in the park...Every good thing in the kingdom...from Adam on has come to us through men and women who stuck it out when the going got tough. The biblical history of the church ends with (these victorious words)... and so we came to Rome" (Acts 28:14 NLT)

HUMBLE YOURSELF

'Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.' Luke 18:14 NLT

Jesus said: 'Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: "I thank you, God, that I am not like other people - cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income." But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." 

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be exalted' (vv.10-14 NLT). You can appear to be the most devout person in church yet have a heart filled with pride. And the worst part is that you don't know it. For example, when you take all the credit for things God enabled you to accomplish and acquire, that's pride. When you compare yourself with others, that's pride. When you think you can do the will of God without the power of God, that's pride. When you exclude people who don't fit into your peer group or social circle, that's pride. And it will cost you, because 'God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.' (James 4:6 NIVUK).

So if you want to walk in His favour today, then humble yourself before Him.

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE?

 'He chose us.' Ephesians 1:4

When it comes to God's will for your life, He decides it, and you discover it. It's not something you can change, a topic for debate, or a plan you get to have a say in. The truth is, you can miss God's will and be miserable, or do things His way and experience 'glorious, inexpressible joy' (1 Peter 1:8 NLT). The choice is yours.

'But I don't know God's will for my life,' you say. Then pray this prayer: 'Father, I'm tired of going through life with no real purpose because it brings no glory to You. You created every living thing, including me, that they may bring You pleasure (see Revelation 4:11). I know that You have a specific job for me to do. Your Word says You formed me in the womb to be Your servant (see Isaiah 49:5). I'm getting lots of input from other people, but I need to know the path You have chosen for me. Help me to stop ignoring and minimising the gifts and talents You have invested in me, acting like they're of no significance. I know we are all called to serve, and I need Your help to discern who, where, when, and how I should serve. I want to do what You have destined me to do and not be sidetracked by wrong priorities, busywork, or other people's desires and demands.

At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and say, like Jesus, "I brought glory to You here on earth by doing everything You told me to" (see John 17:4). In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

FINDING COMMON GROUNDS

'I try to find common ground with everyone.' 1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT

To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, 'I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.' 

In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul's words: '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 demoralised - 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!' (vv 19-23 MSG). Note the words 'I entered their world and tried to experience 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.