It is almost here! It is right around the corner! Preparations are everywhere and you can see flags and ads all over the place. The Season is about to begin!!
That’s right, gardening season is upon us!! (Insert tires screeching to a halt sound) Wait! What? That is probably not what you expected me, a die- hard baseball fan, to say. While it is true that I love baseball like a family member, there are a lot of people who look forward to other seasons.
So, what’s the point? The point is that not everyone sees the world or responds to the world the same way I do, or we do. One of the biggest hinderances to evangelism and church growth is that we fail to see life through the eyes of others. We assume people will like or should like what we do. We are reluctant to change our views or our methods because we cannot move past our predetermined ideas of how things “Should” be.
There are many people seeking Jesus in our world and our neighborhood. They are waiting for someone to invite them in a way that they can understand or a way in which they can relate.
Don’t assume everyone thinks like you or me. Everyone has their own battles and their own stories. We certainly know that Jesus can meet all of them, but we have to introduce Him in a way they will hear.
Here is an exercise that may help. When you think of someone you wish would come to church or to Jesus, try and put yourself in their shoes for a few seconds and see life through their eyes. Then once you gain some insight, let the Spirit lead you from that point.
It is very hard to move past our views. This is the very reason Jesus told us to keep our eyes fixed on Him. I am pretty sure His hope was that we would then see like Him, speak like Him, hear like Him, love like Him, invite like Him, and simply reflect Him.
What are you excited about?
What is your friend or neighbor excited about?
Where do you hurt?
Where do they hurt?
It’s worth the ask!