We cared so much for
you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also
our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 1 Thess. 2:8 (HCSB)
How far are you willing to go to communicate God’s grace and
truth to others?
Gordon McDonald writes that people communicate along a range
of five levels:
1. Clichés: “Hi, how
are ya?”
2. Facts/reports: “We
had 125 show up.”
3. Opinions/judgments:
“We just didn’t get the message across.”
4. Emotions/feelings:
“I’m heart-broken over this.”
5. Loving/truthful conversation: “I can really tell you’re learning and
growing.”
Each level calls for increasing courage, trust, and
commitment. A casual relationship will
accommodate the first two levels. But
only a carefully developed relationship over time can cultivate the fourth and
fifth levels. Few people reach (or care
to reach) the fifth level – not enough time, not enough curiosity, not enough
courage. Yet if you’re going to make
more devoted followers of Jesus, if you're going to make an impact on others' lives for eternity, levels four and five are necessary. We must care that much. People’s eternities are on the line.
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