‘For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more …’ 1 Corinthians 9:19 NKJV Whether you’re applying for a job, trying to win someone to Christ, counselling and advising, or correcting someone’s behaviour, to be effective you must look for common ground. Let’s look [...]
Finding common ground (2)
‘For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more …’ 1 Corinthians 9:19 NKJV
Whether you’re applying for a job, trying to win someone to Christ, counselling and advising, or correcting someone’s behaviour, to be effective you must look for common ground. Let’s look at some of the qualities that requires availability. Paul writes: ‘I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; …’ Establishing areas of common interest takes time. It also takes effort. It’s been reported that today a typical business executive has an on-the-job attention span of six minutes. That’s pathetic! In six minutes a person can hardly get his or her feet on the ground, much less find common ground. Identifying areas you can agree on calls for empathy and a willingness to listen to what the other person has to say. In her book How to Talk So People Listen, Sonya Hamlin reports that most people find this challenging because of the ‘Me-First Factor’. She writes: ‘Listening requires giving up our favourite human pastime – involvement in ourselves and our own self-interest. It’s our primary, entirely human focus. And it’s where our motivation to do anything comes from. With this as a base, can you see what a problem is created when we’re asked to listen to someone else?’ So, what’s the solution? First of all, it’s essential to acknowledge and answer two of the listener’s instinctive, unspoken, questions, which are: ‘Why should I listen to you? What’s in it for me if I let you in?’ Anytime you’re willing to listen to people and figure out how what you’re offering meets their needs, you are halfway towards your goal of finding common ground.
SoulFood: Gen 40:1 – 41:43 Phil 2:5-13
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2023
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Finding common ground (1)
‘I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.’ 1 Corinthians 9:22 ESV To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, ‘For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, [...]
Meditation for beginners
‘We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness …’ Psalm 48:9 NKJV Hopefully, by now, you are convinced that the power that comes from meditating on God’s Word is a power you need in your life. But maybe you’re a beginner, and you need a starting point. You’re thinking, ‘Yes, I know I need to spend more [...]
Do what God says
‘The LORD came to Abram in a vision.’ Genesis 15:1 NKJV When God gives you a vision for your life, He doesn’t give you all the details upfront. He simply says, ‘Don’t be afraid; just do what I say, and I will guide you and prosper you.’ What did Abram’s vision involve? ‘Now the LORD said to [...]
Praying God’s promises (2)
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you.’ Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV When you begin to pray scripturally-based prayers, you will get the answers you need. Here is why: the Bible is God’s Word, and He always keeps His Word. Here is how to pray: 1) When you don’t have the answer. ‘Call to me, and I will [...]
Praying God’s promises (1)
‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.’ John 15:7 CSB According to one count, there are 3,573 promises in the Bible. That’s almost ten promises for each day of the year. When you know which of those promises apply to you, and [...]
Meditate on God’s Word
‘In His law he meditates day and night … and whatever he does shall prosper.’ Psalm 1:2-3 NKJV Thomas à Kempis, an Augustian monk and author, and author, wrote, ‘If you wish to grow in your spiritual life, you must not allow yourself to be caught up in the workings of the world. You must find [...]