A Day-by-day devotional

May 26, 2023

Many hats

Chronological One Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Kings 8-11

Scripture of the Day: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Have you ever had side jobs apart from your main job? You do a regular shift at your principal work during the day. When it’s over, you rush to your part-time job to work the night. They can be similar works at different places, or two completely different and unrelated ones.

You could be a nurse during the day and a security guard in the night. Alternatively, you could be a teacher during the day and a singer at gigs during the night. It is irrelevant whether or not the two jobs are related. You have the ability to wear different hats.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he stressed out how he, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, tasked to preach the gospel, was called to wear many different hats. Depending on what the situation calls for, he picks up a hat and wears it for the sake of the gospel. He does his best to be immersed within the community that he is bringing the Good News to. He identifies with them, so that they can identify with him. If they are Jews, he would act and speak as a Jew so that they would better understand. If they are Gentiles, he does the same. No matter to which group he brings the message of Jesus Christ to, he would speak their language and share according to how they would best understand considering their culture.

Whenever I travel abroad, I should not expect people to speak my language. I should not even expect them to speak English. I am in a foreign country. They have a culture and a language that is foreign to me but is inherent to them. If I wanted to be understood, I would have at least memorized a couple of phrases or brought a pocket translator to help me out.

Likewise, when we set out to tell others about Jesus Christ, we should remember that not everyone has heard about Him. We should be aware that not everyone grew up in church knowing church language. We should not expect people to understand the message that we would like to convey, using our language. Instead, I have to take off my personal hat, pick up a hat of the same pastel color that that young woman at the corner is wearing, and wear it. In that moment, as I approach her and talk to her, I identify myself with her so that she can identify with me. I cannot insist on wearing my hat when I know she can never identify with it.

Similar to what the Apostle Paul did, I become what is asked of me at that given moment, yet not losing my identity in Christ Jesus. I bear witness to the gospel as I rid myself of myself and put on that which the Lord has called me to be.

Reflection: Do you have experiences of personal evangelization that did not turn quite well? There would always be such moments. However, take heart. If you approach your witnessing the way that Paul did, it might just turn out like you hoped.

Prayer: Sweet Holy Spirit, please guide my speech, approach and ways of witnessing to others about Jesus. Make me a ready vessel, willing to become as God called me to be, at any given moment and circumstance. Amen.