Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To 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. 21To 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. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

An attribute of a great teacher is that he or she listens. Listen for what? you ask. Listen for understanding in terms of the subject. Listen to the student (child - teen) describe an interest level in what you are teaching. Listen to see if he or she is grasping the content. Listen to his or her life story to check and see if anything may be interfering with the ability to learn at several points along a year. Listen to learn what interests him or her outside what you are teaching and use it as learning cues.

In short, you listen.

Paul is saying this about our effort to share the gospel with others. In order to reach a group of people, I listen and become them. Paul is now a follower of Christ, but in order to "win those" not following Christ, he becomes someone they can identify with. He learns their story and shares the gospel from their perspective. From Jew to Gentile, from a follower of the law to a person who is weak, Paul listens to them, and he determines the best approach to share with them the gospel has made for him and the hope it can bring to them.

In Evangelist training, a section is on "learning the community" in which we serve and are surrounded by. How do we listen to that community to determine where it stands on things like faith. In Stephen Ministry, we are taught to listen to best approach how to minister to someone in need.

Paul sums up his approach very simply: I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (v 23).

Pray we listen and learn, create those relationships for the purpose of sharing the gospel with those around us.