This article was originally published in the June 2017 edition of ITMI Monthly.
ITMI’s Steve Evers has always been effervescent and outgoing. As many of you have experienced, he connects easily with people and has a way of making them feel valuable.
When ITMI’s Johan Leach visited the US in April, he and Steve travelled from the East Coast to Arizona.
Johan connects with a waiter along his route.
Johan documents the vehicle used for their road trip.
Steve says, “Johan makes me look like a shy introvert!”
Johan demonstrated a remarkable ability to engage with people. He wouldn’t be put off by the barriers most humans erect to protect themselves. Like Christ, he pursued respectfully.
He engaged, he valued and they responded.
After spending several weeks with Johan, Steve felt he’d learned a lot about engaging with people. On his recent trip to India, he got to put what he learned from Johan into action. He took engagement and outreach to the next level.
Steve was smiling, greeting, fist bumping and hand shaking with anyone he saw.
Steve shakes yet another hand with a surprised slum resident.
One scene from the slum Steve visited with Paul.
That might not seem like a big deal, but imagine you have lived in a slum your whole life.
Even those around you don’t pay much attention to you or see the unique ways you are valuable. Then a visitor reaches out with a smile, because he believes you are valuable to the God he serves.
He calls you “sir” because he respects you.
That would make a big impression!
Thanks, Johan, for loving people, for seeing all people as highly valued image bearers of the Creator of the Universe and impacting two continents with His love.
Are there any barriers you could push through to pursue someone the way Christ pursued you, reaching them with His love?
