Want people to reject your influence, do this!

Do you approach sharing your faith like speed dating? I have a well-meaning friend who wants to be a full-time minister. We sat down for coffee and conversation and had a spirited discussion about the life and responsibilities that full-time ministry brings. It was a good, honest, uplifting, and challenging conversation.

During our conversation, my friend revealed that new neighbors had just moved in a couple of doors down from him. Thinking aloud about what he should do, he said, “Maybe I should just go over to their apartment and share the gospel with them.” If you want people to reject you, do this! This is Christian equivalent to speed dating. Let’s forgo exchanging names, small talk, getting to know them, praying for them; let’s just start kissing. More times than not, this kind of approach is not going to end well. To top it off, because our approach is so poor, we are very likely to falsely accuse them of being closed to the gospel, not loving Jesus, or even persecuting us for our faith. How we approach people has a lot to do with how we are received and how our influence is received.

I suggested that my friend prepare a small wrapped gift, introduce himself, and welcome his new neighbors. We need to let people know that we care personally about them. This may seem like a small, insignificant act, but it leaves lasting results and opens the door for many future conversations. It’s much easier to have meaningful conversations when people know you care about them. reShowing people, you care creates breakthroughs that allow your influence to flow freely into your personal relationships. www.warrentalks.com