C08 Manual Hints and the Challenge
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C08 Manual Hints and the Challenge
(—– LENI, TADY NEDĚLEJ TITULKY, ZATÍM NECHÁME JEN TEXT! —–)
To the illustration of the bridge over the gap, I will now add a few more „manual“ hints. Small things can make our drawing and talking either smooth and clear or also quite uncomfortable, or completely repulsive…
1) If you are right-handed, try to have George on your left hand. He should be able to see well into your drawing all the time. If you have already sat and you have George on your right hand, no big problem. Only after each step do you have to put your drawing hand away.
2) If you are sitting at the table facing each other during a conversation, turn slightly to your right. It is important that George does not have your picture upside down. On the opposite side of the table, George naturally turns slightly to the left. In the case of left-handers, it will all be the other way around.
3) One more seemingly small thing in which some people are remarkably insensitive. When drawing, you are physically closer to George than during a normal conversation! Count on the fact that some people may have olfactory cells developed better than you! Therefore, I suggest that you pay attention to the aroma of your mouth. Your overall aroma is part of the emotional phenomena that may be strongly involved in the decisions of the people. Chewing gum helps here. I always have a few with me and that’s it…
After a long spiritual conversation with his friend, one long-time Christian asked his friend if he had any obstacles to invite Jesus into his life. The clear and calm answer was, „I don’t see any.“ „Suddenly I didn’t know what to tell him next,“ the aged believer admitted.
I can’t help but recommend you to rehearse your drawing and talking several times. Take a piece of paper and a pencil and say it out loud to yourself, first. Draw it really. Then tell your buddy the same thing, together with drawing in those different positions. Maybe he will tell you what he finds good, interesting and what repels him somehow…
Always try the whole story! And remember that in your presentation of Jesus‘ Good News, there must be an example of how to invite Jesus into life!
Our people have no idea they can have a personal relationship with Jesus!
All the less they have an idea how to establish such relationship with Jesus. – They need clear instructions – practical, normal, „unspiritual“. A concrete example of what they should tell Jesus…
For some people – though I saw their spiritual interest – I once could not imagine giving them any challenge. It wasn’t until much later – in some business contacts (when I train communication and public speaking) – that I learned a little bit: „Excuse me, Doctor. We talked about it now. I have a special proposal for you. Can we try it together? ”And then I want him to stand up and show me the communication element a few times! I have never encountered any resistance! Neither for influential businessmen, the deputy mayor, nor from a dean of university faculty…
I use the same principle in spiritual conversations: “Excuse me, Doctor, can you imagine saying something like this to Jesus? Is something stopping you from trying it right now…?”
I found out that the obstacle to our challenge is not what my George will think, but what I think!
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for teaching us this courage of clear challenges. You have expressed your challenges to many of your ordinary contemporaries, also to Pharisees, priests, chief of customs, dignitary Nicodemus, and Pilate finally…