Adorn Your Inner Self (1 Cor 8-9)

'This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up." -1 Cor 8:1

Some people memorized a lot of scriptures, some people dress themselves into a business suit, and some people walk with their heads up straight among the security. We may feel intimidated by those people who are well-known. Imagine ourselves walking pass Paul, the well-known apostle, maybe he walked in a business suit and he smoothly spoke about the gospel to everyone around him with his head lifted up with boldness as the disciples surrounded him. I don't think so!

Paul encouraged us to be full of love that lasts not full of puffs! Paul said, "to the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law that I might win those under the law... to the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak, I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." If he will become like those around him, then what would Paul be like if he was in DC today? He probably would braid his hair and put on bandanas and dress in old black clothes to be among the ghetto part of the city. Or he probably would dress in the business suit to be among the senators as they meet. Or he probably would dress in a "In a Pit with a "Lion on a Snowy Day" t-shirt and a coolest jean with some holes when he walked among NCCers (people who attends National Community Church are called NCCers) at Ebenezers Coffeehouse as he puts his hands into his pockets.

That's what Paul is probably like! Although our perspective of Paul may completely change when he changes his outlook, but we have to remember that Paul will always be Paul for his inner self will never change! He will always have the "handsome" inner self... well that's from what we have been reading!

"Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." - 1 Peter 3:3-4