Step 6: Look at peoples eyes, make a connection with them.
Once people have seen our light and responded to us and we have answered them appropriately we need to begin a relationship with them that will lead them to God. Such a relationship is obviously not going to be superficial but will be one of the deepest and most meaningful in their life. We therefore need to be willing to interact with others and to not hold back from becoming spiritually intimate. Look in their eyes and see if they are ready to hear the truth. Focus on both what the Holy Spirit wants you to do and where the person you are talking to is at. Are they ready to understand? Do you understand where they are coming from? Can you relate to them? If not, do you know someone else who may be better able to help them understand?
Obviously such a deep relationship can put you in a vulnerable position. Yet it is through demonstrating our love for others in being willing to relate with them at this level that we reflect the kind of relationship that God wants with this new person. “As I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” (John 13:35) If people are going to change their way of thinking to be like how God thinks then they obviously need to know Gods deepest thoughts, and this is what “being a light unto the world” is all about. For it is through the reflection of the mind of God that is in you (Phil 2:5) that we are a light unto the world.
In order to relate to people at this level you need to know them and they need to know you, and they also need to know themselves and how much they need to change. Such is the complex task of growing and changing. You are a vital part of helping God create a new eternal life, so we should not expect it to be simple.
Unfortunately our good deeds will not only be seen by men who will then praise God but they will also cause some people to actually hate us. The Bible is full of warnings: “men shall insult you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Mat 5:11). Yet this is not the complete picture as Matthew 5:11 actually starts by saying “Blessed are you when men shall insult you, and persecute you…”. So while we are going to have troubles we are told to actually take them as a blessing from God! See also James 1:2-4.
The life of a Christian is not one that we can expect to be easy and we are often told to endure to the end in order to be saved (Matt 10:22, 24:14), which is what the next step is all about.
Step 7: Don’t be afraid of rejection, learn from it.
We should not be surprised or hurt when rejection comes for we are warned often enough that our job is very dangerous, and rejection is going to be the least of our worries: Take the example of Paul who became all things to all men in 1 Cor 9:20-23, yet he had to endure terrible physical persecution (2 Cor 11:23-30). We are warned that being a Christian may be more than just a little bit unpopular: "See, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves.” (Matt 10:16 ISV) However we are also told to never give up being a light to the world. “You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mat 10:22 ISV)
Given the serious physical consequences of teaching God’s word, God knew that we would need some powerful encouragement. The following rendering of 2 Cor 1:3-7 highlights the encouragement role of the Holy Spirit. By changing the old English words comfort and consolation to the modern equivalent words encouragement and encouraged (2), a powerful cycle of encouragement becomes evident in these verses. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all encouragement; who gives us encouragement in all our troubles, so that we may be able to give encouragement to others who are in trouble….” This is the beginning of the cycle: God first encourages us so that we may encourage others in similar trouble. It continues to say that we do this encouragement “through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.” It is by the encouragement from God that we are able to encourage others. “For as we undergo more of the pain which Christ underwent, so through Christ does our encouragement become greater.” We are not removed from the pain but it produces in us the power to encourage others to endure to the end. “But if we are troubled, it is for your encouragement and salvation; or if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which takes effect through your quiet undergoing of the same troubles which we undergo.” No matter what we do, if we have trouble or are free of trouble then they both work to encourage us! “And our hope for you is certain; in the knowledge that as you take part in the troubles, so you will take part in the encouragement.” (2 Cor 1:3-7)
There are many examples of people speaking the truth with the threat, or reality, of death before them. Yet, despite their pain, their faithful example is an inspiration and encouragement to those who remain alive. Read Hebrews 11:1-31, are you encouraged or discouraged by their example? This is the irony of persecution of Gods Church, we use it to motivate us not to undermine our attitude of determination! As we endure and are encouraged by God’s Spirit, our example encourages others to undertake even greater acts of faith when they also are in trouble. God’s Spirit will encourage us so that we can endure rejection, and persecution, or even death because of doing His work.
“Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren't they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's permission. Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! So stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows. Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people I, too, will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven.” (Mat 10:29-33 ISV). Without acknowledging God before people we will not be acknowledged before God!
We need not be afraid of any potential danger, but should realize that such physical harm can only cause us to be stronger. While we would be crazy to actually welcome persecution we should however be ready for it. We should also be using the encouragement from the Spirit of God and His Word so that we are able to fulfill our goal of being a light to the world.
Therefore while we need to accept the possibility of being hurt emotionally or physically, we should also not be afraid of opening our mouths as we a part of a truly great work: “Do you not say, “It is yet four months, and the harvest comes?” Behold, I say to you, “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already”.” (John 4:35 MKJV). Although the work we do is not guaranteed to be easy, every day we can be encouraged as we have a potential harvest that we can be a part of.
We can also learn from rejection when it comes, as it often does not come without there first being some kind of warning beforehand. We can become aware of these signs by reviewing what we have done during the week to see how we can improve next week. In this way we can either forestall potential rejection or when it does come we will not be too surprised by it. And God has given us some time for doing this reflection, the Sabbath Day. While the Sabbath is a day of rest and renewal it can also be a time of reflection on what we have done. Make it a part of your weekly Sabbath to reflect upon the work of God that you have been part of during the past week. This will then launch you into the next week renewed and motivated to make your work even better. On the Sabbath take some time to ask God to help you to learn from the week’s experiences and to become more effective next week. If you have done nothing last week then that’s ok, you can certainly improve on that!
The Cycle of Growth in the Christian Work
Many of us don’t do anything for the Work of God but pray, study, come to church and pay money for someone else to actually preach the Gospel. But we are told that WE are a light to the world and it is OUR example that God wants the world to see. As we have seen in Matthew 10:29-33 we personally must be doing something to preach the Word of God to the world.
If you follow these seven steps you will see a logical sequence that helps you to understand how to relate to others. Don’t expect to make a convert the first day out, just start by listening to others. Do this out of genuine compassion, interest and love for other people. The rest of the steps then follow. Remember your goal is to be a light. Get help from God through his Holy Spirit to be a light, don’t rely on yourself. Prepare yourself with scriptural knowledge, so that you will be able to answer any questions, but if you don’t know say so and use that as an opportunity to get back to the person. Keep your eyes open for direction from God and the positive or negative response from new people, for if you are being a light someone will notice you. Don’t hold back from becoming intimate with other people when they do notice you and maybe mention something profound about the purpose or meaning of their life. This is your opportunity and you should be willing to take it. Do not be afraid of failure, learn from your mistakes and grow in understanding. Use the Sabbath as a time of reflection and a time for launching you into a new week with new determination that you will be a better light.
While we may make mistakes there is simply no use in focusing on these or our weaknesses. All that does is undermine our motivation. Far better to look to our strengths and the things that motivate us in doing good works. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Phi 4:8-9). When we fill our mind with positive thoughts that are pure, lovely and good then we can use these core motivations to support us in the things we are weak in.
The people whom you are getting to know may need your help, but you will also need to grow in understanding about how to communicate with them. Remember we need to “continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) If we don’t get a good response then it is a fair chance that it is our problem in communicating God’s truth as much as theirs in understanding what God is saying. Ask God to give you the wisdom and the skill to communicate His truth to those who need it (James 1:5). We are not to be stupid or arrogant in our approach to others and therefore bring rejection upon ourselves. We may use any rejection as a prod to motivate us learn how to communicate more effectively and be more “peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
The above seven steps can be summarized as follows:
1) Overview: Really listen to people;
2) Your Goal: Understand that your goal as a Christian is BEING a light to the world;
3) Ask God for Help: Get help from God through his Holy Spirit;
4) Develop Knowledge: Prepare yourself with scriptural knowledge;
5) Be aware of others: Keep your eyes open for direction from God and response from new people;
6) Get involved: Don’t hold back from becoming intimate with other people;
7) Keep Growing: Do not be afraid of failure, learn from your mistakes and grow in understanding.
As the above is a cycle, the process begins again, although there is no real beginning or end. It is also more like a spiral than a cycle as each time we go around we have grown in experience and knowledge. It would therefore be better to imagine it as a spiral staircase going seamlessly from one step to the next.
Our understanding from the first cycle will then give us a depth to add to our overview as we will be more able to listen to people because we will have seen what they are going through.
This ability to listen will then impact on our goal as will have a deeper more practical understanding of what it means to be a light to the world.
Our appreciation in being a more effective light will give us the ability to rely upon God more, which will impact upon our motivation to have a greater zeal to know the Bible.
We will then have more knowledge to be able to discuss the Word of God when we next approach people.
This knowledge will also enable us to listen more intently to God and other people,
which will in turn enable us to be more intimate with others
and therefore be less afraid of failure, and by listening to others more intently we will also learn where we can improve when we take the time to reflect upon our activities of the previous week.
We thus have a positive cycle of growth that builds momentum and is in itself very encouraging. This positive cycle builds upon itself, like a spiral staircase of linked together steps. It is a cycle built upon giving to others: “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38)
This positive cycle constantly improves our ability to succeed in the act of personal evangelism and through this process develops our relationship with God and our fellow Christians. This cycle will keep growing as we keep learning and changing and helping others. This path is a positive cycle of change that we are a part of. Added to this is that there will also be some successes in helping people grow spiritually by using the strength of Christ to change their lives. These successes will encourage us to develop our skills in communicating even more so we are a better light to the world.
We have been called to do an extremely large job (John 4:35, Math 9:37-38) and we must not stop from walking this path (Math 7:13-14), otherwise we will not only miss the opportunity to save others but may be in danger of losing our own salvation also (1 Cor 9:27). Yet Christ said that the yoke we have is easy and the burden is light, indeed it is being a light unto the world! We therefore must remember that our goal is eternal life and those in the world who do not have that hope have a much heavier burden to carry, for they do not have any hope after death.
The Never Ending Spiral of Growth
In the process of helping to bring others to understand how to walk on the road to salvation we also grow and overcome our own weaknesses. This new person we have become, through using the power of the Holy Spirit, is to be eventually rewarded with the gift of eternal life (Rev 21:7). We therefore are able to overcome Satan and the world in being part of the work of God to bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). The above cycle therefore gives us an outline of what the work is that we are to do for Christ.
After we have experience in the process of helping new people grow into an understanding of salvation, we will have developed vital communication skills. With these new skills we may be able to obey the many admonitions to correct our brothers in the faith (Math 18:15, James 5:19, Jude 17-23). Therefore by working with the unconverted to help them to change to learn about Christ, we will also be developing the personal skills to correct those already in the faith, if and when it may is necessary.
This cycle of growth and change keeps producing fruit to eternal life; both for us and to all whom we allow the light of God, through us, to shine upon. This great responsibility to grow in grace and knowledge is the work of God that we are to do today: “let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Mat 5:16, ISV).
In Matthew 22:14 Christ said that “many are called, but few are chosen.” Yet many people take this as a statement of defeat as only a few will be chosen, and they therefore lose motivation to help. Why there are only a few who are chosen is not actually any of our business, as it is God who does the choosing. It is however our business to ensure that there are many who are being called! It is on this side of the equation that we have our partnership with God. Remember it is not “few are called and even fewer will be chosen” but many who are called, and it is our job to make it many. Then we can say with Paul “necessity is laid on me; yea, woe is to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16).
The Work of God Today
The Bible does not seem to make a distinction between the ‘work of God’ as being: “the preaching of the gospel to the world” and ‘good works’ being “personal help for the poor and needy”. We see in the book of Galatians that “when James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.” (Gal 2:9-10). Similarly in James 2:12-18 “You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. For merciless judgment will come to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. What good does it do, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but does not have any works? This kind of faith cannot save him, can it? Suppose a brother or sister does not have any clothes or daily food and one of you tells them, "Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily." If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do? In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not have any works, is dead. But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without any works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Giving to the poor is therefore an integral part of preaching the Gospel, and it is also essential to help us grow in the mind of God: “Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work. As it is written, "He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread to eat will also supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will produce thanksgiving to God because of us. For this ministry you render is not only fully supplying the needs (food) of the saints, but it is also overflowing with more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God. Because of the proof that this service of yours brings, you will glorify God because of your obedience (your good works) to your confession of the gospel of Christ and because of your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else.” (2 Cor 9:8-13 ISV).
Christ tells us what we need to do to glorify God: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” (Mat 5:14-16). What is our light? “…that they may see your good works” It is our works, with the correct attitude behind them (2 Cor 9:7). Our responsibility is to be a light to the world and this is directly linked to how we understand what we hear and then what we do to others in good works. This is then directly linked to how we are rewarded in the Kingdom of God.
We need to be involved in the work, it is not something that others can do for us: “Do you not say, ‘It is yet four months, and the harvest comes’? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already. And he who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to life eternal, so that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. (John 4:35-36). He who sows is God the Father and he who reaps is us, and we may rejoice together with God when we are given our reward of eternal life.
When we are part of the work of God we personally grow and change. “But that you, speaking the truth in love (1), may in all things grow up to Him (2) who is the Head, even Christ.” (Eph 4:15 GW). It is through speaking the truth in love that we grow up to be like Christ. It is by the process of teaching others that God teaches us to become more like Christ. When we are more like Christ then we also obviously then also become more effective teachers. When we have become more effective teachers we again we become more like Christ, and we become more effective teachers and… the cycle continues. When we teach others we become part of a cycle of change for both ourselves and those whom we bring to Christ.
The Responsibility is Ours, and is Linked to Our Reward
In another parable Christ is showing us how important it is for us to be a part of his work. You can read it in Luke 8:5-18. “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, the one fell by the roadside and was trampled; and the birds of the air devoured it. And other fell on a rock, and sprouting, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And other fell amidst thorns, and springing up with the thorns, they choked it. And other fell on good ground and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.” Christ then had something very important to say, so he yelled it: “And when He had said these things, He cried, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Now how can we hear if we don’t have ears? Well we may read of course, but this is obviously poetic emphasis on the importance of what is being said. Christ then explains the parable, which we will examine shortly, but at the end of the parable he again gets back to the activity of hearing in verse 18: “Therefore be careful how you hear. For whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.” How we hear will determine what we shall be given, therefore we should be very careful how we hear! We may be deceived to believe that what we have is real when it is only an illusion. Could this be talking about the gift of eternal life? Could we miss out on eternal life if we don’t do what God wants us to do now? Let us read the rest of this parable and see what it says.
Luke 8:9 “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘What might this parable be?’ And He said, ‘To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But to others I speak in parables, so that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand’.” So it was indeed possible to have been a person who actually heard Christ speaking and yet did not understand what he said. This shows us that these stories were deliberately told by Christ so that they could easily be confused as to what they meant. There were thousands of people fed and healed by Christ when he was alive, but most of these did not continue to follow him so that after Christ was resurrected there were at the most 500 disciples (1 Cor 15:6). If perhaps hundreds of thousands of people saw Christ, heard him in his own language and witnessed his miracles on others and often on themselves (remember the feeding of the 5,000 people in Matthew 14:21 and the feeding of the 4,000 in Matthew 15:48), yet only 500 remained, then how much more should we be careful about how we actually hear what is said? If these people did not understand then, when they had the very Living Word of God in their midst, we need to be very careful about how we understand this word that is translated from ancient texts whose language is never used today and we have no personal experience of miracles, at least none such as what Christ did in front of their very eyes. We need to be very careful indeed about how we hear. It is our eternal life that is at stake. As Christ said, with a loud voice, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
What then was it that Christ was so concerned that you should hear? Listen, as Christ continues with his explanation of the parable: “And the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those by the roadside are the ones who hear; then the Devil comes and takes the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And those which fell among thorns are the ones who, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and do not bear to maturity. But those on the good ground are the ones who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:11-15).
So it is possible to hear the word of God and believe it and then either fall away or produce no fruit and not be successful in attaining eternal life. It is clear you can loose your reward if you don’t do something with the blessings that you have been given by God. The concept of “once saved always saved” is a very simplistic and unrealistic understanding of the Gospel. Paul is adamant in the book of Hebrews that “we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Heb 3:14). This entire chapter spells out the admonition that we must endure to the end. It is not good enough that we must start the race but we must also to finish it “But he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved”. (Matt 24:13).
What therefore is it that we must do and endure? Christ tells us in Luke 8:16. To help you hear it the following quotation is from the Gods Word modern version, as sometimes out of familiarity with the old terms we just don’t hear too clearly: "No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see the light. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret that will not come to light. So pay attention to how you listen! Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, some people don't understand these mysteries. Even what they think they understand will be taken away from them." (Luke 8:16-18). This parable directly ties into the act of hearing with the necessity of being a light unto the world. And as we read above in Matt 5:14-16 being a light means doing good works.
It is clear from the above scriptures that the work we are doing in helping others is directly linked to how we will be rewarded in the Kingdom, and indeed if we will actually be in the Kingdom at all. This is clearly spelt out in Ezekiel 3:17-21, which talks about our great responsibility to tell others the truth or we will be responsible for their sins!
It is by doing good works that God works with us so that we grow in grace and knowledge and by these acts we call others into the body of Christ. We therefore see that our personal and individual role is very active and frontline in preaching the Gospel. It is not possible to be a silent Christian, just praying and paying while others do “the work” on our behalf. Hear what Christ has to say, for he expects us to be actively involved in His work or we will not be invited to be active members of the Kingdom of God.
Footnotes
The idea for this article was triggered by the sermon “The 99% Church” given by Ron Dart on the 12/7/2002. His sermon was about how an individual Christian has a critical role in communicating the truth of God to non-Christians. In the summary of this sermon he presented nine points, from which our seven points have been taken. In our article however the majority of the sermon has not been used, and the original nine steps have been reduced to seven and put into a different sequence to his arrangement. While we acknowledge the value of Ron Dart’s sermon in our study of this topic, we take full responsibility for its content and text.
In his sermon “The Neglected Gift” dated 19/5 2002, Ron Dart suggests that comfort and consolation could be replaced with the modern equivalent words encouragement and encouraged. We consider this interpretation is much clearer than the Old English words and greatly improves the flow of thought in this passage of Corinthians.
