Ron Popiel, Billy Mays and Vince Offer. Purveyors
of the Veg-o-matic, Pocket Fisherman, OxyClean, Slap Chop
and ShamWow.
Pitchmen for TV infomercials. They are full of
energy and are entertaining (and perhaps sometimes even obnoxious). They can
sell you a gadget to solve a problem you did not know you had.
But wait, there’s more….
Ed Valenti (Ginsu knives), George Foreman (Lean
Mean Grilling Machine) and Chef Tony (kitchen utensils).
They know their customers and are good marketers. They are passionate and can endlessly extol the
virtues of their products.
All this for the low price of $19.95 plus (shipping and handling)!
But their monolithic message does not appeal to some
people. They have one speed and they don’t slow down waiting for some to “catch
up.”
Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 9:19-27. Paul
tells us that he wants to win as many for Christ as possible. He is passionate
about Christ and he wants to share it with the world.
Paul understands his audience and further, he
knows it is not monolithic. He differentiates between the gentile and the Jew,
between the weak and the strong and he presents the Good News of Jesus Christ
to each in a way that will be meaningful to them. He is a masterful marketer.
More importantly, Paul does not merely change his
words as he talks to different groups. He changes his behaviors! He becomes
like one of them.
Unlike TV pitchmen, Paul does not charge for his “product.”
He offers “it free of charge” (verse 18). Further, the Gospel is available
immediately. You don’t have to wait six to eight weeks for delivery.
People need to be met where they are in life when
discussing Christ. Paul was masterful at this, TV pitchmen, not so much, and I
even less. I need to understand my
audience better. I need to be more mindful of where they are in life.
Paul knew people are different, and how he
presented the Gospel depended on this difference. Paul changed when he had to.
Do you need to make minor changes to more effectively reach
others with the Gospel?
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