B15 Communicating – Knowing – Trusting
List of the Online Lessons: A B C D E F G H
B15 Communicating – Knowing – Trusting
Now, I have very important principle for You, valid for all our relationships; for partner and family relations, work and business relations, certainly also for our relations with unbelievers and undoubtedly also for the relationship with the Lord Jesus – whether our own or also for the relationship of our unbelieving friends with the Lord Jesus.
I illustrate this important relational principle in a spiral!
1. When I start communicating with someone, it is the first step. Here in Mosty we are saying for a long time that communication is connection. This means that not only do I speak, but also (or initially mainly) I listen.
2. Through mutual communication, we get to know each other. I listen, I ask questions, I observe and I learn interesting and important things. In the meantime, I also say interesting and important things about myself.
3. Our communication and mutual knowledge reveals areas we have in common and in which we understand each other, and thus trust is being built. At first, that trust can be cautious. However, as we continue to communicate and get to know each other more – if there is agreement – our mutual trust grows and together with even greater willingness to communicate openly and so on.
…Communicating… knowing… trusting… communicating… knowing… trusting…
So it works, for example, with a new colleague. (1) I listen to him, I ask him, I express my attention and interest. (2) Through our communication, I gradually get to know him and also I let him to know me. I share my thoughts, attitudes, experiences, gratitude, worries, and so on. Suddenly I know something about his residence and family, about his interests and about his attitudes to various things, people or events. He, too, knows my attitudes and values more and more, and soon he will capture my connection with living Jesus. If we find something attractive in this sharing and cognition or directly agree with each other, (3) it builds trust, understanding and interest in communicating further. By the way, our joint move along this spiral does not have to take long weeks, sometimes it is a matter of a few minutes to find out that we have a lot in common and to start to feel trust in each other!
It works exactly the same in the relationship of my unbelieving George with Jesus:
…Communicating… knowing… trusting… communicating… knowing… trusting…
At the beginning, I am an important part of George’s communication with Jesus! I am the mediator of Jesus‘ presence for him. Not only by what I say to George, but in the first place by my interest, attention, listening, kindness, favor, encouragement… When George communicates with me and I naturally insert small elements of my contact with Jesus into our conversations from the very beginning, George gradually becomes acquainted with Jesus. If he experiences a bit of „blessing“ in knowing Jesus or sees hope for an area of his life, it awakens his trust towards Jesus!
Ideally, the Discovery series (several meetings with a creative Bible reading in a group) will soon become part of George’s spiritual development. Through the Word of God, George is addressed by living Jesus himself! And as part of Discovery, we quite often raise our eyes with a single thank you or a request. New Georges sometimes quickly learn to look up in the same way, and they respectfully say, „Thank you Jesus for…“ Or, „Jesus, I ask you to…“ In the meantime, my buddies and I urge Jesus to touch George. Both by God’s Word in Discovery and in his own reading alone, as well as through other experiences, when he clearly recognizes that it doesn’t just happen.
Along with this new communication and cognition, George’s trust in Jesus naturally grows. In the first phase, it is usually just admitting that Jesus probably exists, because he somehow affects our lives. However, this develops another phase of trust and hope.
I soon try to add a sensitive challenge: “Try to address Jesus; BEST now. For example, say to him: Jesus, please COME into my life, FORGIVE me for all the bad things I have ever done, LEAD me, be with me always.“
To some Georges I just opened this principle: „Communicating… knowing… trusting… Listen to Jesus through Discovery and talk to Him, too. The more you know Him, the more it all makes sense to you, the more you will naturally trust Him. This will deepen your communication, further knowledge and trust…“
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that we can use this spiral of relationship growth with you: Communicating… knowing… trusting…