When people get involved in ministry, they often have the idea of transforming lives. They have noble intentions of changing the world, pointing others to the right path while turning them away from wrong. Their goal is to make a difference, to bring others to Christ. However, they may not consider the practical aspects of working with people who are at very different places in their lives, those who may not be ready or willing to listen to what others have to say.
Speak the Truth in Love
When working with those who are in prison, homeless, drug addicts or in other situations, you will see a different version of the world. You will encounter people who are living completely opposite of what you believe. Your natural tendency may be to try to change them, to point out their wrongdoings. However, that is not what ministry is all about.
One of the reasons that Christians are often ridiculed and condemned for their stance is not because they believe differently than the world. It is because they have the wrong attitude when speaking their beliefs. They tend to focus on criticizing others and pointing out that they are wrong. You may have heard the old saying “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar” and it is true. It doesn’t mean you water down your beliefs or hide them, but everything should be handled in a spirit of love.
Follow Jesus’ Example
Jesus never backed down when it came to sharing His beliefs about right and wrong. He was never afraid to condemn wrongdoing, especially when He was in front of a crowd. When you see Him with individual people, He used a different tactic. For example, notice how He related to the Samaritan woman at the well and Zacchaeus, the tax collector. His approach was different than when He was speaking to groups of people, especially religious leaders.
We can learn a lot from these encounters when we meet up with people in our own lives who are different from us. Some key points that we can take away include the following:
- Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe but don’t antagonize.
- Point out a better way to live rather than condemning people.
- Establish relationships before focusing on inspiring change in others.
Jesus took the time to get to know people before He tackled the big issues. He even went to Zacchaeus’ house to spend time with him.
While the goal of those who get involved in ministry is to change people’s lives, this is not a process that happens in one encounter. We must be careful to stand up for our beliefs without alienating others on principle. To reach them, we must focus on loving them first. Once you establish a relationship with someone, he or she is more likely to listen to what you have to say with an open mind.
Participating in ministry never gives us the right to force our belief system on others. Instead, it should be the way we show our love to others as we reflect the love of Christ. By following His example, we can let others know the truth in a way that draws them to Him instead of pushing them away.
