Taking An Interest
Blog Post #56
When’s the last time you asked Jesus what He most loved to craft in the carpentry shop...what it would take to change His opinion about something...or what criteria He used in choosing His disciples? Chatting with our Lord, and delving into some of the more intricate details of His life, is a great way to improve your relationship...and any relationship. It encourages you to be selfless, to explore people and personalities, to take an adventure into the minds of others...it nudges you to TAKE AN INTEREST.
Taking an interest is a beautiful art form and one that would very likely improve the quality of every life involved. A good way to get started is to develop the habit of asking every person you encounter three questions about themselves before ever mentioning one iota about your own life and all that is happening in your world. I guarantee, if you give it a try, you’ll make eyes sparkle, learn things you never knew, stretch your thoughts, and make someone’s day, no matter the age, attitudes, or back story.
Think about it! Taking an interest is a great way to bring people to life...or even to remember a life. It’s a great way to build a relationship and create connection. For Heaven’s sake, it’s a great way to be a disciple and spread the Good News! After all, the more we delve into people and their stories, the more opportunities we have to help people explore their own connection to their Creator. It’s really not that hard to find a way to slip Jesus into the conversation...even if it’s as simple as saying how grateful you are to our Lord for this situation or that happening...or to remind people that a particular talent or virtue is truly a gift from God.
We all know people who have a knack for bringing the best out in people by taking an interest. I’m blessed to know many. Just this week Kristen reminded me of a eulogy I gave several years ago where I referred to the family friend as both “interested and interesting.” Those words really struck a cord with Kristen and she thought it was a real compliment.
Of course, it was meant to be a compliment! Sam was one of those people who knew how to bring out the best. He was what you might call a “noticer”. He noticed if your appearance changed. He noticed if you hadn’t been around for awhile. He noticed how you commented to his very specific questions and he noticed if you didn’t comment at all. He always seemed to know what made people tick and what motivated them to get going on the day. He showed an interest. He himself was also very interested in life and always had some kind of project in the works which made him very interesting to be around. He had a good combination going...interested and interesting!
Can that combination be said of you as well? We all know what we put in our mind changes us. So if you’re reading this blog post, challenge yourself to gear up for a social experiment by changing every encounter you have today by truly taking an interest! And if that’s a habit you’ve already developed, take it to an even higher level and challenge yourself to, not only take an interest, but to intentionally take all who you encounter closer to Heaven and to Him...the One Who deserves all of our attention, adoration and awe! Wouldn’t that be interesting! Ahhhh...I think I’m interested!!
