You possess a powerful secret resource for ministry. It can open the hearts of Christian friends; it can melt the skepticism of nonbelievers. And it reduces the size of your personal problems. Furthermore, you needn’t go to seminary or a retreat to learn to use your hidden asset. It is readily at hand—you can use it whenever you are around people. It is the power of personal attentiveness.
There is no shortage of Christian programs. On any given weekend, believers can find seminars on church growth, spiritual formation, leadership skills, discovering spiritual gifts, handling money, and rejuvenating marriages either in their community or on the Internet. All helpful. But still, we are not penetrating the culture with the Gospel to the extent we would like.
The Kingdom of God needs more than programs. We need a massive dose of millions of believers demonstrating personal attentiveness. We seem not to realize the power one life can have on another. Proverbs 27:17 says it best: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” In the same way, people sharpen one another only if they are in close proximity—close enough to rub.
Where do you start? Why don’t you consider finding one person in your world who needs you?