Meeting part 2
You can't expect people to meet you where you're at. You have to meet them where they're at. Just because you understand something doesn't mean they will. Because your experiences are different than theirs. We're all on the same journey, if I can say it that way, but we aren't all at the same place on the journey. All running the same race, but not all on the same lap. And, like I mentioned yesterday, meeting people where they're at means not meeting them empty handed. Seeing and need in them and meeting it. Look at Luke 3:10-11, "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." What should we do? Feed someone who's hungry. Clothe someone who's cold. Live out of your abundance. Give what you've got. Because if someone's cold and hungry, meeting those natural, physical needs is way more effective than telling them how much God loves them. Its the difference between showing and telling. "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:15-16). We can't expect people to hold their breath long enough to get down to where we might like to swim. We have to, instead, make things easy for them. That's what Word Without Walls ministry is all about: Love without exception and restriction. Making the gospel--the good news, the truth that God is love and He loves you--accessable to people. And there's no better way to show love than to meet physical needs. I'm telling you, when I'm hungry... its hard for me to focus on anything else. When I'm hungy I'm no good until I fill my belly. So if we want to put people in a position to receive what we have for them Spiritually, we need to first make sure they're taken care of in the natural. First in the natural, then in the Spirit, right? That's the divine order of things. And furthermore, when you see someone's need and meet it... that builds a connection. That shows them that you care. That opens them up to listen to what you have to say. Because if people don't think you care about them, they surely won't care about whatever Bible verse you're trying to shove down their throats. And, listen, there ARE some people in my life that I can send a Bible verse to and it might be just what they need. But that's because we've already built that relationship. We've already made that connection. Most of the people in my life would probably roll their eyes if I listened to their problems and spouted off a memory verse. But those same people would feel a lot better if I just listened to them. If I gave them an ear. Or a shoulder to cry on. If I showed them love. Showing, not telling. Showing them Jesus by loving them (right where they're at) instead of telling them about Jesus. So see a need and meet it. If you have two coats, and someone needs one... give them one. That's such a huge deal to the person in need. That's how we meet each other and connect with each other and love each other!