How to Reach Out to Others – With Love, By Hillary-Beth

How to Reach Out to Others – With Love

By Hillary-Beth Koenig

Part 2: Let them know what you think about them

If you are serious about reaching out to others through God's love, you will learn to view them as God sees them, as we talked about in Part 1. Now that you know how to get your own heart right about this issue, we are going to talk about how to take some action!

1. The best way to find opportunities to share God's love, is to pray for those opportunities to come! Spending time praying for the person's heart, for your own heart, for the situations that could come up when you see them, and for situations to come about that makes it easy to point to God, are all very important. It not only shows your desire to serve, but it gives you a desire to serve. I guess God knew that sometimes it's not easy to do the right thing - in fact, sometimes we REALLY don't want to do anything but teach that person a lesson or two. But that's not going to win their heart to God.

2. The best way to use opportunities to share God's love, is to make opportunities! That is, if someone drops a pencil, spring over to pick it up. Does your little annoying sister like the blue skittles best? Then pick out all your blue skittles and give them to her! Does that teacher just keep frowning? Maybe bring her a note to wish her a good day. Does that kid look lonely over there now that he has no one to pick on? Ask if he wants to eat lunch over with you! You never know when your kindness might change someone's whole day, and a day can bring about a lot; it only takes one moment to realize need for God, only one moment to ask God into your life, but a lifetime of walking with Him to become like Christ. Maybe they are trying and just need someone to be nice enough to give them a chance. Maybe they don't know how. It's not up to us to change them, but it is up to us to give them the opportunity to know God can change everything!

By giving them your best, your time, your talents, your kindness...you are telling someone that they are worth it in your eyes. If they can see how much you love God, they are sure to see that God must think they are worth it. If they ask you why you were nice, why you paid attention, or why you gave to them, you can tell them that it's because Jesus noticed you, paid the price for your sins, gave up everything for you - and this thing you just did is nothing compared to what He can and does give!

In summary, the best opportunities, are the ones where God is the focus, your heart is in it, and you don't let excuses keep you back. Wait, that last part sounds like Part 3...that's next time ;)