F4S: How Do You See The Individuals That You Come Across?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

How Do You See The Individuals That You Come Across?

"And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.' So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, 'He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.' Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house'.." ~Luke 19:5, nkjv

He saw something in him that others could not see, and Jesus befriended him.

Does this same out-reaching Jesus live inside of you?

Lord, please live big in and through me! So want this to happen! 

I've personally never met a fairly positive type of person who didn't genuinely love people from the heart and try to see the best in them.

That's what being a godly witness is supposed to be about.

Are you like that?

Well, you can be!

Got a question.. do you ever try to put a "10" on other people's heads?

I mean do you view others as having been created by Someone so incredibly intelligent that they must have at least some great potential, or talent, or gift, or smarts inside of them? I think that most of the time individuals are a ten in some hidden or non-hidden area. Can we see it or are we a bad-finder?

Do you see them with immense value like their Maker does, with beautiful ability in at least one area? Why not?

Sure many of us tend to have expectations of others, but we each can choose whether those expectations are positive or negative ..regardless if they are an employee, a friend, a fellow student, or a co-worker. And I'm not talking about "speaking it into existence" like the Word-faith people try to do, or about some weird visualization into reality stuff, or even about hyper-PMA jive here.

What I mean is that we believers can think that others are totally worthless or that they are worth a whole lot ..and God will let us do either.

It's great to expect the best and even look for the good ..instead of the bad in the people that we meet. Many an underling and or others have exerted themselves to exceed all expectations before.. they have gone on to do great things just because someone saw it in em as God does. Are you a good-finder? I know that you've heard some of those stories of victorious Olympiads like I have. What kind of methods of encouraging are transferable to where we live?

Perhaps us fishers of people can do just like Jesus did when He came across Zacchaeus out on a limb, and spend some time with that person to show em real agape love?

You know, I think it's good to view people as a ten in some area especially if God shows you this. It's also good to pray for them and encourage them with this value-thing in mind. But even if let's say they were merely a four in all areas, that's more than zero and shouldn't we be the people to recognize this so we can encourage em?
  
I've heard it said that we Christians usually see in other people ..what we expect to see. It think that could be true. Others have done that with you and me. I've also heard it said that people generally rise to meet our level of expectations. Generally speaking, I'm sure this could happen!

Makes me want to pray more how 'bout you? Today Lord, I pray that You would help me see sinners and saints the way you see them.. with great value! Help me see that everyone is gifted by You in some way, even if they themselves haven't yet discovered this.

Fill, refill, empower me to witness right ..where You lead me. I want to help them. I want to treat everyone that I come across today as if their life would end by the end of this day.

I don't want to act like I have all the answers, like I am what they need, or like they have all the time in the world to become what I want them to be. They don't need me at all. It's about You, Jesus!

And I of course don't want anyone's life to end, but I do want to see the priceless opportunity of bridge building today for what it really is in that moment. Wonderful!

How can I make the most of it for You and Your eternal Kingdom?

I want to wisely treat each one as if they were one of tomorrow's greatest leaders on earth, because with your redemptive love, unchanging truth, and great gentleness they just might be. I want to stop and show people respect even if they don't yet deserve it. Help me extend to each one that I meet the same care, kindness, and understanding that you would show them. I want to share the bad news and the Good News, yes even tactfully sharing stuff that they might not want to hear, but that You want them to hear in that moment ..so that they can become blessed and a blessing tomorrow.

God, I pray that I can slow down and listen to people better. You know.. more attentively. Wanna lean in a bit closer without intrusively invading their space. Help me look em in the eyes avoiding all distractions and hear their hearts. Eye contact is a good thing, for those are like the windows of a person's soul huh.

I want them to feel and know that they have my full attention—that I won't prejudge or jump to moronic conclusions. I believe that You could help me "get it" and see things from the other person's point of view and earn their trust.

Lord, help me to change the things that you want me to change and know what you want me to leave well enough alone. You alone can change people.

With your Word, with a proper use of Your Top Ten List (Ten Commandments), use me to solve some problems that the person is experiencing and struggling with.

Help me to work hard in your grace daily to solve problems for one or for several people (perhaps simultaneously) if that is possible today. In You all things are possible and I want to be a servant of all.

Help me not impose uninvited advice on the closed-minded. If their heart is hard, please soften it. If their ears are stopped up, please open them. If someone asks for advice today, help me present good ideas—my best ones to them ..as suggestions for them to study on and consider.. just like a Berean would do. But not givin' it to em as some cold paternalistic commander would do. God my opinions don't really matter at all, but Yours do so let your Word not return void when I open my mouth for you.

Help me to ask permission and make it clear. I mean with what's non-negotiable from You and make it clear on what's negotiable as from me (non-essential issues), but let me not forget to clearly share your solutions and promises. 

God help me never to flatter people or to embellish what's real, but to give strong encouragement, pure edification, and genuine compliments when it's right. Wanna build em up in faith.

Help me to be upbeat in your JOY not some downer-dude, some condemner, some hater of folks when I should only hate sin. Help me to have good humor and laugh heartily ..even at myself.. but never at their dirty jokes. I want to smile at people more, to reach out even leaving the 99 to approach the one, and to simply be proactive as You lead me, not just some self-important "responder" waiting for sinners to come to me.

If I wish strangers well ..from the heart.. if I greet them with a warm handshake and smile, if I become genuinely interested in what other people are interested in ..short of sin.. then they will probably feel like both You and I care about em, Lord.

Please make me enthusiastic, passionate, real, and zealous about Jesus and His work, Holy Spirit!

God, I often feel like going real fast, to get a lot done and make the most of each day, but yes, help me to slow down with the people that I meet and speak clearly ..heart to heart. For in relationship-building fast is slow and slow can be faster ..if You bless it.

If I come off as one who would rush them, then people will tend to back away and not want to return. Help me to pre-think about what You would do or say and then give them only what is appropriate for that time—a word in season that is so fitting and right! If I lean on You and not on my own understanding then they might find what they were looking for ..today!

Lord, is there a way I can make the other person feel important and valued? Is there a way I can add value? Please show me. Can you help me to be sincere and not so syndical or jaded, 'cause we've all seen so much bogus fluff and fufu?

If wouldn't be bad if I could actually remember their names and use em, but not for my potential gain like some hardened salesman would do. 

Jesus, let me know where they are at spiritually—cold, lukewarm, or red hot, backslidden, lost, needing healing, or growing in their walk with you. Lord what help can I offer to them that's practical? Is there a way we can work together to help them reach the good goals they are after? If they see that I care about their family's practical needs being met, then maybe they'll be more open to hearing about how their spiritual needs can be met?

God, remind me to be humble today for all hubris is out, so last season! It's a choice that I've gotta make! Wanna say please and thank you, or I'm sorry, or ..may I. perhaps even yes Sir, or Ma'am (especially if they are older).

If I ever feel like criticizing people, or talking down to em, or disrespecting the absent peeps, or condemning em, or browbeating, or just complaining ..then let me quickly bite my tongue and quickly refocus on You. 

Help me never be rude or interrupt people as I so often see happening in the news today. They have opinions that I should respect and hear ..at least for a time.. I mean You gave them this room to decide on things and that's their prerogative that shouldn't be taken away. But Help me to boldly stand up for the good, for truth, for real holiness ..for You publically.. and against all evil and what's wrong!

Help me Holy Spirit to know your timing and not to hesitate ..but to step up like a man of God. Help me serve you diligently with flexibility, but never become a "workaholic for God in ministry" no matter who tries to pressure me. Who needs lame idols? 

Some seem so skilled at being diplomatic—but help me do better than that with Your discernment. Never want to be a people pleaser or add an offense to the offense of the Gospel. Is there a way I can appeal to the nobler motives, not falsely read between the lines, and give people the benefit of the doubt? 

Even many irreligious people tend to favor hope, optimism, descriptive stories of redemptive goodwill, over those of bragging or self-focused opportunist activities.

Lord, if I am criticized or even found to be wrong; then help me learn from it and admit it quickly. We can fix that together. Your blood covers and is enough. You can change me. Wanna be open to restitution and becoming a better witness today!

Spirit, help me NOT be weird, but be natural for You, for the Father and for the Son! You, three in one.. are always winsome—never weird.

You know there is so much weirdness and spooky-creepy behavior out there these days.. that's done "in Jesus Name" and none of it helps the spreading of Your Gospel at all!

Mr Lu-Cifer and his folk seem so adept and skilled in trying to make people believe that You are overly intense, uptight, and stiffly religious like some heartless, joyless, or weird pushy charlatan type.

Thank you so much for true liberty.. for growth in knowledge, in grace, in understanding, and in Your wisdom! I want to become more like You with every passing day. This is important to me!     

Really wanna learn the people's lingo and allow them to talk about themselves and what they are into instead of shifting em over to talking about me or my hobbies. God, help me never seek to impress, but be careful what I promise or commit to, never giving people the wrong expectations.

Wanna keep all my commitments in an ethical and punctual way. Wanna let people feel that they can question or challenge what I say; for it's the Bible we all should go with.

Wanna be accessible, approachable and ask the right questions without prying.

Lord, help me completely understand their questions before I answer. I want to be sympathetic with the other person's ideas, feelings and desires. I want to segway "the convo" toward spiritual things in a sensitive friendly sorta way—towards the cross and the empty tomb!

I want to avoid arguments. Wanna bring up my mistakes at times.. my blunders, my past failings (my sins minus the gory details)—my personal story (testimony) and how You helped me come from such ugly defeat to a real Win. You get all the credit!  

I don't want to dwell too much on the stupid decisions and subsequent painful results that many felt.. that others did around me, even if there are some things I don't fully understand about all that, but instead I want to get to the Solution. My time on the streets is limited and I can study up and think deeply about more lessons to be learned when I hush and get alone with You later on.

"The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." ~Luke 19:10

"People can't believe in Jesus if the Gospel they don't hear, so we must proclaim its Message to the world—both far and near!" ~Sper

Those rescued from sin are best able, with God's help, to rescue those still in sin. Lord, help me see today what you saw when you encountered Zacchaeus out on a limb!  fish4souls.org