Relinquishing Rights...

I Corinthians 9:19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 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 (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 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. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

In this chapter Paul makes one of his rare defenses of his position as an Apostle. Though he was entitled to financial support as a servant of the Lord, he often refused it and worked to support himself.  Though he was entrusted with great authority and God's representative, he preferred to use pleading and encouragement to call people to change.  In short, above, Paul was often willing to relinquish what many would rightly say were his "rights" in order to make people more willing to listen and respond to the Gospel. Paul would never compromise the truth of the Gospel in order to gain a following, but he would put himself second to see others saved. Will we?