Everyone's slave

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 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.
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

“Accompanying Mother Theresa, as we did, to the Home for the Dying, to the lepers and unwanted children, I found I went through three phases. The first was horror mixed with pity, the second compassion pure and simple, and the third, reaching far beyond compassion something I had never experienced before- an awareness that these dying and derelict men and women, these lepers with stumps instead of hands these unwanted children were not pitiable, repulsive or forlorn, but rather dear and delightful; as it might be, friends of long standing, brothers and sisters.
How is it to be explained—the very heart and mystery of the Christian faith? To soothe those battered old heads, to grasp those poor stumps, to take in one's arms those children consigned to dustbins, because it is his head, as they are his stumps and his children, of whom he said that whosoever received one such child in his name received him.”
- Malcolm Muggeridge.

Something moved in me as I read this: "I make myself a slave to everyone".
Isn't this the battering ram that smashes down the tenuous walls of my so-called rights, my individuality, my self-worth, my self-preservation and every single reason that I create not to reach out in the power of Christ's love to others? Oh, to bend every cell of my being to the purpose of reaching others for Christ; becoming their slaves, letting them own me. Becoming like them. Because that is the only doorway through which I can bring Christ into their lives.
God, break me - make me Your slave, that I might be slaves to all.
Amen.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20)