In our continuing discussion of how to connect, we've said that the first step is to have the motivation to connect. We get this by asking Christ to fill us with His compassion for human beings through His abiding presence.
Our next step in connecting is to enter someone's battle. Larry Crabb, in his book Connecting, uses this phrase to describe how we can respond to someone who comes to us with a problem. What does it look like to enter someone's battle and how do we do it?
The key ingredient in entering someone's battle is to be there. It's a commitment to truly listen without formulating the next thing you're going to say, and it's a commitment to never walk away, no matter how helpless you may feel. When someone is convinced that there is nothing about who she is or what she has done that will push you away, she can cling to hope and she will be strengthened. You will be Jesus to her.
When you enter someone's battle, you:
1. Demonstrate God's delight in the person.
God jumps up and down for joy when He sees this person coming. Demonstrate that joy to the person.
2. Diligently look for the good that Christ has built into the person.
It's so easy to look for the reason for the person's problems--a dysfunctional childhood, a traumatic event, etc. Forget about that and look for the positive characteristics God built into her. Identifying the problem does not bring healing, but looking for the good does.
3. If necessary, carefully expose the bad in the person in order to reveal more of the good.
This step is not always necessary, so beg God for wisdom and trust Him to give it to you when you need it. Each of us has good things and bad things about us. We sometimes bury the good underneath the bad, and part of connecting is to gently expose the bad things so that more good can bloom. Jesus did this with the woman at the well (John 4).
According to Dr. Crabb, and as demonstrated in the life of Christ, connecting happens when we pour the powerful life of Christ in us into the good life of Christ in someone else.
Lord, thank you for the person with whom you have called me to connect today. May all believers respond to this call to connect with someone today so that we can answer Your prayer request to be one in You.
No comments:
Post a Comment