1 Corinthians 10:32–33 — Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Read further: 1 Corinthians 1:22–24; 1 Peter 3:15–16.
The employee at the counter didn’t lose your package. She didn’t write the return policy either. But after twenty minutes in line, she’s the person in front of you, and you make sure she knows exactly how frustrated you are. Then, as you turn to leave, you notice someone from church standing behind you. That uncomfortable moment exposes a question worth asking even when nobody recognizes us: What has my behavior made harder for someone to believe about the Jesus I follow?
Paul urges Christians to avoid becoming obstacles to others. He names Jews, Greeks, and the church of God because his concern reaches toward all people. He wants people to be saved, and he refuses to treat himself as the highest priority. When he says he tries to please everyone, he isn’t promising universal approval or people-pleasing. That would be impossible, and Paul regularly faced hostility for preaching Christ. What he means is that he seeks others’ good instead of needlessly insisting on his own way. Earlier in the letter, Paul describes the message of Christ crucified as a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others.
The gospel challenges our pride and our self-righteousness, which means we can’t remove that truth to make Christianity more agreeable. But impatience at a customer service counter isn’t the same as the offense of the cross. Neither is ridiculing someone online, speaking contemptuously about people who vote differently, or treating an honest question as proof that someone is foolish. Those are obstacles we add. This distinction is important because we can mistake an unkind response for courageous faithfulness. Someone objects to our tone, and we assume they reject biblical truth. Maybe they do. Or maybe we’ve spoken truth in a way that unnecessarily humiliated them.
Jesus was never careless with people because His message was urgent. His compassion was never a distraction from His saving purpose. He came to seek and save the lost, and His dealings with people revealed the mercy He would secure through His death and resurrection. A mercy we were in desperate need of, too. Remembering this should change the way we speak and behave, for we are recipients of grace pointing toward the Savior who welcomed us. And grace gives us somewhere to go when our conduct has contradicted our message. You can return to the desk and say, “I was frustrated, but that didn’t give me the right to speak to you that way. I’m sorry.” You can tell your teenager that the anger in your words was wrong, even if the concern underneath them was legitimate. You can correct a misleading post instead of quietly hoping everyone forgets it.
Because, ultimately, what people need is more than a favorable impression of Christians. They need to hear that Jesus died for their sins and rose again, and that forgiveness and life are found in Him. So let’s take care that our behavior doesn’t keep interrupting that good news.
Head: Seeking someone’s salvation includes caring about how my behavior affects their willingness to listen.
Heart: Have I called something “standing for truth” when I also need to confess impatience, anger, or pride?
Hands: When something goes wrong today, pause before responding to the person in front of you. Ask Jesus for the patience needed to resolve the issue while maintaining your witness.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me mercy when my words and actions deserved judgment. Help me distinguish the truth I can’t compromise from the behavior I need to change. Make my conduct consistent with the good news I want others to hear. Amen.”
-PK