Being All Things To All Men

I remember struggling with that line from St. Paul (1 Cor 9:22) as I began my mission work with FOCUS several years ago.  How can one be "all things to all men" and still be authentically yourself?  There are some things I will just never be able to be or pretend to be--like an avid sports fan or video game addict.  The thing I initially struggled with most was relating to the language of the "typical" college student.  At Christendom, I had become used to a high level of common vocabulary filled with theological, philosophical, historical, and literary allusions and humor.  Then, God placed me in a beach town with kids who spoke mostly about tv, current movies, modern music, celebrity news, clothes, and coffee.  I couldn't relate.  With prayer, a slice or five of humble pie, and a "studied" attention to modern lingo (I'm a nerd), I developed my own way of speaking to modern culture.  Often, this required me to use casual analogies comparing spiritual realities with the material world, to not "shy away" from words like "sex" and "masturbation," and to re-word Biblical stories to reflect the language my students were used to hearing (apart from vulgarities).  My new rhetorical approach "worked"--I had people's attention and didn't feel intellectually arrogant.  However, I soon noticed a problem.

Shallow language can only communicate shallow ideas.  [Shallow language = that which is fully made up of vulgarities or the word "like" used in all grammatical positions or goofy chatter about materialistic concerns]  This is not to say, however, that only eloquent intellectuals can communicate about lofty theological principles.  Simple language can communicate truths--and deep truths at that.  I began to feel that intermixing too much "shallow" talk with a Christian message seemed to cheapen that which was communicated.  It was like trying to improve on a diamond's beauty by surrounding it with a setting of plastic gemstones.  I noticed a shift in my language and manner of communication after this minor epiphany, but I could never quite figure out why it rubbed to call "sex" by that common name, etc.

Dr. Alice von Hildebrand recently helped me to understand this discomfort I had been feeling.  She spoke of the importance of using exact and beautiful language when discussing sacred things.  Dr. von Hildebrand said that she is shocked to hear God referred to as "the big man upstairs" as if the God of the Universe is Joe from next door.  She emphatically stated that casual terminology like this is a reflection of the general loss of reverence for the sacred and the loss of respect for authority that we have in our everything-should-be-a-democracy culture.  I hope I never made this big of a blunder in my attempts at analogies, but she also mentioned the scandal that can result from attempts to "connect" to a modern audience with phrases like: John Paul II completed the sexual revolution begun by Hugh Hefner (actual phrase from a well-known apologist).  Some elements of modern culture are so "filthy" [I agree with her terminology regarding porn.] that they should not ever be related to anything beautiful and true in the spiritual realm.  She also applied this importance of reverent language to what she consistently calls the "intimate sphere."  Dr. von Hildebrand clarified, "Animals copulate but humans procreate.  Animals have sex but humans have the martial embrace."  We are not most like the animals in our reproductive abilities; we are most unlike the animals in this realm.  They merely reproduce, while we have a mutual affirmation of persons in a loving embrace that has the potential to be uniquely touched by God when the fruit of that love is blessed with a newly created soul.  Wow . . .

So, how then are we to "be all things to all men" and connect to a spiritually disconnected and apathetic culture?  Dr. von Hildebrand reminisced that her husband, Dietrich, often spoke of the "apostolate of being."  When you are not in a position to witness to someone effectively with your words, you witness to them with your life.  Eventually, if you are living a truly, authentic Christian life, they will see that you have peace and joy in the face of every blessing and obstacle in life.  Their curiosity will open doors for conversations that may not have been possible otherwise.  Then, when the opportunity arises, speak of He Whom you know and love, and speak of Him with reverence and with the beautiful language that ought to accompany profound truths.

Reflecting on her words, I think I understand that verse much better now.  One is authentically "all things" to others by being humble enough to empathize with them and exercise true charity.  It is by serving them in love that you gain a hearing for the Good News of Him who loved all and served those whom He led.  God doesn't need a gimmicky marketing department for his work upon earth.  He just needs authentic lovers to speak of Him and to teach others to love.  It is by responding to the cry of those who share our common human desire (a longing for love and truth) in humility and reverence for God and His creation that we can best be apostles like Paul.