Get personal
What will people who have lived a while on earth and in the process learned a few things tell us about faith, love, and service to God? One of the first is to get personal.
They tell us to invest in people and personal relationships. That will be the best investment of time and energy. Personal evangelism, personal teaching, and personal discipling are the great multipliers.
Jesus emphasized the personal. He stopped for individuals. The gospel of Luke shows this about him especially well. But we see it in the other gospels as well. He received and taught Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, John 3. He talked at length with the Samaritan woman, John 4.
By being personal, Jesus was able to bring salvation to many, John 4.39, 41.
Jesus showed compassion. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law “by gently taking her hand” Mark 1.31. He saw the rich man’s true need and “felt love for him” Mark 10.21, and therefore told him what he needed to know to receive eternal life. Jesus spared the sinful woman who was entrapped by the religious authorities, John 8.1-11. And the story of Zacchaeus cannot be omitted, Luke 19.1-10.
All Jesus did was for the good of others ─ of individual people. Even when he said his harshest words, he assured them, “I say this so that you may be saved” John 5.34.
Jesus taught the multitudes, certainly. He dealt with different groups, like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and scribes, as well as large crowds who followed him. He taught and fed these. He also often addressed his own twelve apostles as a group. But he never failed to see the individual and deal personally with each one.
Jesus showed patience with Thomas, John 20.24-29. He restored Peter in a touching dialogue, John 21.15-19. He answered questions from Thomas and Philip, John 14.5-14. Jesus never failed to pay attention to individuals, see their needs, and address their doubts and questions.
Such attention to individuals and where each on is in his point of faith ought to be a priority with us as well. Jude thought so:
“And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh” Jude 22-23.
It’s all about meeting the person where he is in order to carry him to God.
He is wise who gets personal and gives attention to the individual.
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