“It’s All About the People”
The late Dee Bowman wrote several books in which his writings endeavored to bolster the zeal of all Christians. One of those books is entitled IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE. In it, Dee reminisces about his life’s work and ties numerous antidotes to scripture as encouragement. I heartily recommend that book to your reading library!
Gospel preaching is one of the greatest ways to experience that constant classroom of “learning people.” Every audience is different: even if the same souls sit in the same places service after service. Within the minds of these souls are an array of concerns, convictions, interests, details, facts, and even conjectures. While they pray, “Let us remove from our minds every worldly detail that we might receive Thy word as we sing, pray, and study,” the fact is few if any have a “blank whiteboard of mind” upon which to scribe nothing more and nothing less than God’s word! Some will have family troubles, some financial troubles, some physical ills, and others with serious spiritual ills: but very few are without concerns of a temporal nature.
And yet as we worship, we must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). We usually start with a prayer. The prayer doesn’t need to mention specific names (though at times it does) but should include mention of brethren in need, whether temporal or spiritual. Our singing should be such as teaches and admonishes (Colossians 3:16), and thereby is uplifting to all, especially those who may be discouraged for some reason. Certainly, sermons should be directed to convince souls to be obedient to the gospel and increase the resolve of the faithful to be steadfast in all they say and do (1 Corinthians 15:58). But as to the precise item that each soul may need to be exhorted, or encouraged, or comforted, or disciplined, or simply admonished – well, that’s what makes preaching, leading the singing, and wording prayers so interesting because those matters involve people!
Art Linkletter is credited with saying, “People are funny.” At times, they are. At other times, they’re confusing, if not difficult, and nearly impossible to figure out. As someone once said, “The more he worked with people, the better he liked his cows.” People are different. They all have varying backgrounds, and thereby various ways of dealing with various situations. They vary in habits, in occupations, in the way they talk, in their likes and dislikes, and even in their convictions of the right way and wrong way of doing various things in everyday life. That’s why it's so astonishing to see that it is possible for people to all speak the same thing, and to be of the same mind and judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10). But it CAN be done, and MUST be done if people are to agree with Christ Jesus! Will that happen overnight? NO! But it can and must happen via STUDY OF GOD’S WORD ALONE, and with that study, exhorting one another and so must the more as we see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).
Even then, you must consider the individual soul. As a Christian desirous of helping souls come to the knowledge of God’s truth, you must “start where they are” and not where you want them to be! One of the greatest realities about Jesus and His teaching is that He taught the people as one with authority, and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:28-29). He knew their needs before they asked of Him. With us, obtaining that information will take some time. Therefore, get to know the person and his needs. Realize milk comes before meat (Hebrews 5:11 – 14), and even then, you will need to use patience, kindness, and understanding. Take the time to listen to them: listen to them tell you instead of you “suggesting” to them what their problems might be. And when you do answer, use meekness (Galatians 6:1), remembering that were it not for the power of God (Romans 1:16) having its righteous effect upon your heart, you might be in the same situation!
Though they are Christians, these souls also are “people.” They’ll use phrases like, “Satan is surely nipping at my heels,” “It’s a habit I just can’t break,” and “If I could just change …” etc. What they all are trying to tell you is that they are people just like you! Get down on their level (Romans 12:16) so you can help lift them up with some confidence in truth and righteousness. Let them know they aren’t alone and that you care! After all, Christians sin too! (1 John 1:5 – 10)
And then there are those souls who think they’re “above reproach of any kind.” Just ask them – they’ll be glad to tell you how much better they are than others! Obnoxious, aren’t they? Yes, but even if some of these are Christians (and some are!) we must admit they are also people! They need to be corrected, but they don’t think so. For whatever reason (or excuse) they think themselves immune to the “common order of right and wrong.” These are often the most difficult of people with whom Christians must work. Remember Jesus: He was among the most arrogant of people, and yet refrained from being like them. He taught them by His example. It wasn’t until His third year of preaching and teaching that he declared these “high and mighty” minds as being “hypocrites” (Matthew 23). He was patient. It was, as it is now, all about the people!
People are people, and we Christians are a part of that world as we are people. The difference is that we are the people of God (1 Peter 2:10). We are different from the worldliness most people accept (2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 18). Yes, most people in this world will think we’re the weird ones, the “goody-goody” type, or the “overly religious” type. But think of those statements of compliments! And think also of them as “challenges” – teach them by your example as well as your words. God chose PEOPLE in which to breathe His breath of life, and it is PEOPLE that become living beings! While some may not act like it, they are people, not animals. And we Christians need to show by our words and deeds that people become Christians by obeying God’s word … thus, making us HIS people … the best of the best!