His Heart for Others

April 25th, 2025

His Heart for Others

We, as believers, are witnesses to all people at all times … either good witnesses or bad witnesses, depending on how we live and what we say. Today, I want to pick up where I left off in my last blog and make this a series of sorts, continuing to discuss the topic of what it means to live on mission for Jesus. My focus in this blog will be on the heart of the missionary.

Since we’re not bound to anyone and truly owe nothing to anyone, it's important to remember that because Christ has set us free, our hearts should be filled with gratitude and love for Jesus. We owe Him our all! Let's strive to share His perspective and see people through His eyes. This means embracing His heart and mindset, not just for those who are lost, but for everyone we encounter.

Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 9:19, and 22-23:

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

What a winsome attitude! What this invites us to do is to be culturally aware and
biblically accurate at the same time. What do we mean by that? It means we first strive to understand the culture of the people we're sharing with. Living in Hawaii, this was naturally woven into the experience because it was such a vibrant melting pot of diverse groups. We encountered different cultural norms, unique ways of communicating, and varied perspectives on roles, both in our families and in society. Unless we grasped those differences, we might have unintentionally ended up talking past each other instead of having meaningful conversations.

Language, tone, beliefs, and mannerisms all play a significant role when we share the Gospel, as they are essential tools in our communication toolbox. This is how Paul could accurately say he became all things to all men.

It is here that we have to know several things:

We live among people who believe very differently than we do.
Because of these differing beliefs, we have various presuppositions, or as some call them, “worldviews,” regarding the reason for our existence and our end goals.
Most are no less “sincere” than we are, as they passionately live by their beliefs.
If there is a “right” and a “wrong” position, and since believers are on the side of truth, we must be willing to share the truth in a loving manner so that it may not be scrutinized because of our conduct.

In our passage from 1 Corinthians 9, Paul said he did it for the sake of the Gospel … And we know that the Gospel message is not culturally relative. It is about One Man, who offers one way, based on One Truth, and it all points to One Person… Jesus! Therefore, we also need to be biblically accurate and clear in our message to those who hear the intended message.

I like to use the acronym C-A-B… We need to be Compassionate, Accurate, and Biblical:

Compassionate in that we genuinely love people as Jesus loved them within the cultures they were born into.
Accurate in our definitions and terminology when entering deep discussions about the philosophies of the worldviews around us.
Biblical by knowing what the Bible says, and what it does not say, since its truths are inerrant and eternal.

By following this pattern, we can emulate Paul and “be all things to all people.”

So, what does this look like in practice? Stay tuned for my next blog in the series that will help us live a life on mission for the sake of the gospel.

To learn more about Frank Figueroa, Jr. or to book him as a speaker at an upcoming event, please click HERE.

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