And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. Luke 9:50
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Not sure how to do that, well, all we can do is do our best with what we know and with what the Lord has taught us.
It starts by counting others better than yourself. (Philippians 2:3)
Maybe you know more than some people. Maybe you are more grounded in the word, maybe people do not do things the way you want them to or say things the way you would like them to. Do you realize how faulty that thinking is? Jesus is very gracious and wanted to win people to Himself by meeting them where they were. He always meets people at their level. We should do the same.
When Moses said, I am not good at speaking. God said, Here, let me give you someone who can speak for you. If you notice in the bible, each person we consider a hero was imperfect and our God showed us some of their imperfections. This was not to shame them, this was to show us that we all have them and we are to overlook them. It is also to show us how gracious He is.
I am often reminded of Noah’s son, Ham, when he saw his father in the tent drunk and naked. Ham came to his brothers and told them about the condition of their father. The good brothers, Shem and Japheth, instead of mocking along with their not-so-good brother, decided to cover their father so he would not be exposed.
Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)
Consider some of the graciousness Jesus showed to those in the bible, not in any particular order:
> Jesus healed the ear of the soldier who came to gather Him for crucifixion.
> He spared Mordechai’s life and the lives of countless Jews and their enemy was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordechai.
> He visited Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and kept them free from fire and even the smell of smoke.
> He spoke using a donkey to get through to someone he could’ve struck dead.
> Rahab had the chance to escape the fate of the city because she obeyed.
> He calmed the sea to comfort the disciples.
> Read and see God’s mercy here: (Psalm 136)
There is no end to His mercy and grace. Let us tap into His strength as our righteousness, that is, the things we do in the flesh, without Him are as filthy rags and our fleshly goodness means nothing in eternity.
Scriptural References:
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
Exodus 4:16
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Genesis 9:20-25
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Luke 22:50&51
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified. Esther 7:10
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. Daniel 3:24-26 (full story)
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. Numbers 22:30&31
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Joshua 6:25
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Matthew 8:25-27
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5