To those not having the law I became like one not having the law . . . so as to win those not having the law. (1 Cor. 9:21)
THE SEA OF GALILEE has blue water and is full of vibrant life, fauna, and flora. Children splash and play on its banks and enjoy life there. The Jordan River feeds this sea, flowing from the sunny hills of northern Palestine.
Through the Sea of Galilee, the cool, rolling waters of the Jordan River continue flowing south into another sea—the Dead Sea. In this sea, there are no fish swimming and no birds flying above. It is smelly, and life cannot exist in it because the mineral content is way out of balance.
So what makes these two seas so different? The Sea of Galilee receives but does not keep the waters of the Jordan, allowing the river to continue flowing south. The Dead Sea, however, keeps every drop of water it receives from the Jordan. It has no outlet. The Dead Sea stockpiles the incoming water aggressively. Despite its hoarding of the river, the Dead Sea is shrinking, while the Sea of Galilee gives itself away and is filled.
In this passages, Paul behaved like the Sea of Galilee. He freely gave away the life he received for the sake of the gospel and flourished. He so wanted his banks to be filled with the joy salvation brings that he did whatever it took to win some.
Give yourself away today by investing in others.
Susan Browning Schulz is a Bible teacher, wife, and mom of three grown children. She lives and plays on the Etowah River in Georgia and loves leading her small group.
