1.17.09
Jesus
Mingled
Our world
The world we live in is
really full of selfishness, for the most part.
Everybody is so caught up with themselves, they have no time to pay
attention to others. But there are bright
spots.
When US Airways flight
1549 had to make an emergency landing in the frigid
Then boats started
appearing from all directions, converging upon the sinking plane. Many of these boats were civilian
boats—people who saw a need and responded.
It’s miraculous that all 150 passengers and all staff were saved alive
on this flight.
That was a bright spot
indeed. I wish it was always like
that—people helping people, and taking the time to be of service.
We are living in the midst of
an "epidemic of crime," at which thoughtful, God-fearing men
everywhere stand aghast. The corruption that prevails, it is beyond the power
of the human pen to describe. Every day brings fresh revelations of political
strife, bribery, and fraud. Every day brings its heart-sickening record of
violence and lawlessness, of indifference to human suffering, of brutal, fiendish
destruction of human life. Every day testifies to the increase of insanity,
murder, and suicide. Who can doubt that satanic agencies are at work among men
with increasing activity to distract and corrupt the mind, and defile and
destroy the body?
And while the world is filled
with these evils, the gospel is too often presented in so indifferent a manner
as to make but little impression upon the consciences or the lives of men. Ministry
of Healing, 142-143
A world struggling with
sin and the terrible results of sin, and a gospel that is not making a
difference, because it’s not coming close enough to the people.
We are led to believe
sometimes that we should not talk about sin or doctrines, for fear of offending
people or pushing them away. But many
people are longing for something better than what they have. They are tired of the ravages of sin. They want help.
Everywhere
there are hearts crying out for something which they have not. They long for a
power that will give them mastery over sin, a power that will deliver them from
the bondage of evil, a power that will give health and life and peace. Many who
once knew the power of God's word have dwelt where there is no recognition of
God, and they long for the divine presence.
Ministry of Healing, 143
The world needs today what it
needed nineteen hundred years ago--a revelation of Christ. A great work of
reform is demanded, and it is only through the grace of Christ that the work of
restoration, physical, mental, and spiritual, can be accomplished. Ministry
of Healing, 143
People need God. They need the power and presence of God in
their lives. They long for wholeness and
healing in every part of their lives, and that’s what the Lord wants to provide
for them in His Son.
And that’s where we come
in. We become the hands and feet of the
gospel. We become that friend who cares
enough to listen, and to help.
Jesus Mingled
You know, Jesus’ world was
not so different than ours. There were
hurting people; people suffering, longing for peace, for strength, for health,
for understanding. And Jesus was not
indifferent to these needs all around Him.
So how did Jesus, our
Example and Model, reach out to these people?
He mingled. He placed Himself
where people were, and let the Holy Spirit guide Him to specific people who
needed help. He mingled.
It wasn’t just a loafing
around, killing time type of mingling.
The Saviour mingled with men as one who
desired their good.
Ministry of Healing, 143
As One who desired their
good. It was mingling with
intentionality. It was mingling with a
plan—a plan to be a blessing.
You know, we often look
for blessings and long for blessings.
But did you ever think that maybe God is wanting you to BE a
blessing? That’s what Abraham was. A blessing.
That’s what every child of God is to be.
A blessing. When’s the last time
you got up in the morning and said to God, “Show me how to be a blessing to
others today”? That’s a good prayer.
Examples of His Mingling
With His disciples
At Simon the Pharisee’s house
With the woman at the well
Luke 3: 12, 13 With
members of the IRS
Luke 3: 14 With members of
the military
Mark 10:13-16 With little
children and their soccer moms
While walking around:
Matthew, Nicodemus, James & John, Bartimaeus
We’re talking true sympathy
and caring. It flows naturally out of
our own relationship with God. We have
to be on the receiving end from God if we are to care for others. If we are experiencing the sympathy and love
of God, then we can share it.
And people can tell when you
actually care. Did you know that? Oh yeah.
People can see right through our forced smiles and hurried
helpfulness. That’s why it’s so
important to be authentic, and to take the time to listen. You’ll get to that important thing—or that
appointment—just listen, and care.
It’s not as important that
you don’t have any immediate solutions to their problems; it’s more important
that you are there, and that you care.
That means much more to people.
Trust is built on a series of caring episodes.
A Mingling Mindset
It’s really what Jesus had. He was always ready to stop, listen, console,
help, and when necessary, to teach. The
days of Jesus unfolded for Him. He took
things as they came, and when He naturally came in contact with people, He was
simply available to be a blessing.
You might consider
yourself to be a loner, a bit on the introvert side. That’s all right. But you still come in contact with people
here and there. And when you do, be
available; be attentive; be ready to listen, ready to stop what you’re doing.
Relax
Pray
Chill
Being at ease with oneself
helps us to have a calming effect on others.
Our calmness will help to dissipate their stress and worry. If you are an island of calmness in a chaotic
sea, I guarantee you that people will visit your island often.
If you’re not at ease with
yourself, you need to take this Sabbath to get close to God, read His Word, and
ask Him why there is dis-ease in your life.
Is it because you are violating one of His life principles? Are you disobeying God in some way? Are you trying to control everything? Ask God; He’ll tell you.
When we are not at ease,
it’s usually because we are neglecting something. And our disobedience will manifest itself in
crankiness, irritability, impatience, stress.
We need to go back to God, repent, and ask Him to fill us with His peace
and wellness again. And He will.
It’s easier to be an
island of calmness when we ourselves are experiencing that calmness. It’s easier to be a true caring friend when
we are friends with Jesus, and we are freed up from the tyranny of self.
People appreciate
attentiveness and friendliness. That’s
why some airlines, some businesses, are more successful. They have repeat customers. And people will be more likely to continue to
talk with us and share with us if we are attentive, and if we listen.
Then He said to
them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few;
therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His
harvest.” Luke 10:2
When we look out at our
neighborhoods and workplaces and schools, we may not think that there is much
of a harvest. For the most part, people
are busy with their lives, they are seemingly ok with their lives, and they
don’t appear to be very harvestable.
But Jesus saw and sees
things differently. He looks at those
same people, and He sees people on the verge of making decisions to enter the
But He sees also that the
laborers are few. And so He invites us
to cooperate with Him to gather in the harvest of souls. He tells us to pray to the Lord of the
Harvest, to send out laborers into His harvest.
We are those laborers.
It’s you, it’s me. We don’t have time to think about whoever
else will do it. We are running out of
time. It’s you, it’s me. “Lord, send out laborers who actually care
about people enough to listen to them.
And begin with me. Show me how to
mingle and to be a blessing today.”
Begin with me, Lord. Begin with me. Here’s one laborer, Lord.
We are going to be looking
at the basics of mingling over the next few weeks. It will be a practical training time, and
well worth it. The Lord wants us to become
friends to people, and to mingle with them as one who desires their good. If we do that, we will have the same results
as Jesus did, when He mingled.