Would you go the extra mile?

THEME: OUTREACH
Written by Megan Low

I recently spent $70 because of Kenneth, a young sales attendant. (Well, also partly because of my need for new pants.) Considering the amount of reflection and thinking which has resulted from my purchase, the parting of cash may have been worthwhile after all.

There are some lessons one can draw from such experiences. Some people are impulse consumers; others must think through everything carefully before deciding whether to purchase something. The role of the service staff in such situations is to match a customer’s needs to the most suitable product or service available with the aim of convincing a customer to buy a product. This requires knowledge of the services and/or products being offered. As Christians with easy access to Scripture, we too need to be familiar with God’s Word in order to effectively lead others to Him, teaching, correcting and training them (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It was his friendly, welcoming attitude that first got my attention. How do we respond when we see someone inspecting what we have to offer? Can we accurately capture what they need from us? How can we present ourselves as trustworthy, likeable bearers of God’s good news of salvation in Christ so that others will be willing to open up and share their needs with us?

When I told Kenneth what I was looking for, he immediately led me to the closest thing that fitted my description and suggested a suitable size. After I tried the pants on, he immediately asked how I found them: Were they to my liking? Did they fit? This encounter led me to wonder: Would we be just as committed in making disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20), especially towards those “trying out” the faith for the first time? Are we willing to invest time and energy in those who are seeking Christ as their Lord and Savior?

Once I found a size to my liking, I shared with Kenneth my thoughts about his service and the product. (Of course, I first asked if he was keen to hear my opinion. I figured as a newbie, he would appreciate the suggestions and feedback on whether I felt his product actually met my needs.) Are we just as ready to listen to others to better ourselves?

Finally, I shared with him my fears and problems when shopping for pants (situations already existing or potentially occurring). Would we able to recognise what fears, weaknesses and concerns others face that we might be able to better minister to them?

So whether you are going to work, or have already started working, our aim, as followers of Christ, remains the same: to be Jesus’ instruments in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10) to the best of our ability (2 Timothy 2:15). Will we remain committed to see each other through till the day we step into eternity? God has given us all that we need to do His work. No one is in our lives by accident. Will we show them the love God first showed to us (Romans 5:8)?

Photo credit: zpactoid (Mark D. Pineda) / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA