The simplest way to influence is smile “A leader’s smile can give people life; his kindness is like a spring rain” Proverbs 16:15 –Rick Warren author, Senior Pastor Saddleback Church
I must admit I have been extremely negligent in my blogging, with the completion of school, new opportunities in my career, and the chance to serve the youth on a larger scale both secular and spiritually my blogging has suffered. To that end I found it necessary to share a lesson God has been and continues to teach me: The Importance of being delivered from people and their inconsistencies to effectively minister to people consistently.
The word minister contrary to popular opinion doesn’t mean exclusivity, being catered to, and revered by the masses, but actually means to serve, to operate with humility while being attentive to the needs of others. Honestly nothing brings me more joy than serving others. It is my passion; it is what I do intrinsically with no ulterior motives or hidden agendas. While I enjoy receiving is pales in comparison to the joy of giving. I am hypersensitive to the needs of others, and will do anything in my power and through the power of God to ensure those needs are met. I am not talking about the myopic form of ministry of preaching or teaching, but I am referring to the preaching that occurs in the absence of words when the actions of my life resound in the lives of others. Just like a waiter who anticipates the needs of the customer, it is my desire to serve everyone I meet, it makes me smile.
I have been in a fight for my smile. With the more people we encounter the more opportunity we have to serve, but it also increases the opportunities to be vulnerable based on the position that true service places us in. While it is a gift to be sensitive to the needs of others, it also entails a danger where you can become susceptible to the negativity and criticism of those who you serve. It is here where I have seen so many and have even fallen into the trap myself of becoming biter, callous, and indifferent towards others. The mentality behind this behavior is hurt and insecurity and the desire not to feel this again. We then minimize love by only loving those who are convenient, and shout when the preacher talks about haters, but get extremely quiet when the preacher gives instructions to love our enemies. We often become the victim and adopt a victim mentality all the while there true self, heart, and passion, are being eroded slowly by unresolved pain, and ultimately we loose our smile.
If we loose this internal battle and succumb to bitterness we will lose our external smile, impact, and influence and belief in the ultimate good and potential in others. I have resolved this is not an option. Jesus’ inner circle of Peter, James, and John wanted to build Jesus a tabernacle in the moment of his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, but were sleep in the garden of Gethsemane in the moment of is most intense pain and anguish. While some will indeed desire to tabernacle with you in the mountain the reality is they will sleep on you and abandon you in the moments of pain. If we can resist the urge to become bitter, we will see that Peter, James, and John will evolve into powerful world changers and ultimately we will rise from our pain and God will be glorified, and when God is glorified, my smile returns.
