Whatever, Whenever, Wherever, Whomever

"To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Volumes have been written and dissertations delivered, beloved, on the importance of establishing one's true purpose in life.  From the perspective of some that we should "to one's own self be true" to the conviction of others that it is "better to burn out than to rust out" so many philosophies for living daily seem to abound.

I want to propose to you that the Scriptures define for us clearly and distinctly what God's desire for our personal mission statement is.  Here, for example, we find the Apostle Paul succinctly outlining his own heartfelt purpose in life.  Very simply, in words familiar to any true student of God's Word, we hear him declaring: "I have become all things to all men so that I may by all means save some."  Powerful and complete!

I wanted to suggest to you in this brief statement a much shorter version of what Paul wrote to the saints in the Greek city of Corinth, not different at all, but shorter - whatever, whenever, wherever, whomever.

Consider with me how Paul in this verse of Scripture clarified the whatever of his personal life purpose.  His exemplary "all things" reveals this aspect of his mission statement.  He was willing to do whatever it would take to reach one single person with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But note also here his whenever as well as the wherever of his mission statement as found in the term "all men."  Since none of us ministers to people all at one time or in one place but rather day by day and in varying places and circumstances, then we discover that Paul's commitment to servant-hood had a definite whenever/wherever aspect to it.  He was simply never "off-duty" as a servant of Jesus Christ.

Further we discover about him the wonderful whomever quality of his life's focus.  To Paul it simply did not matter who you were: where you came from, what you might have done, how famous or infamous you might have been.  To the apostle all that mattered was what you needed to become and where you would spend eternity.

The beauty and simplicity of his life-statement as an apostle of Jesus Christ can best be seen, however, in the term "so that I may by all means save some."  Paul cared about people perhaps like no one else.  He was not necessarily the archetypical "people person."  But what he was reached so much deeper within himself and as a result so much further out from himself.  Because God had filled his heart with His own divine love for lost people, Paul's passion in life had become telling people about Jesus and seeing them turn in genuine repentance and faith to Jesus Christ.

WHATEVER, WHENEVER, WHEREVER, WHOMEVER.  Certainly an intriguing statement of personal servant-hood, wouldn't you agree, beloved?  And is that not what every child of God ought to aspire to become?  You see, it is one of the most powerful yet simple definitions of what a true "servant" of Jesus Christ is to be!

Ron