Following Jesus means that we are champions of abundant life. And that will show up in what Russell Moore calls “convictional kindness” —something that shows up in our demeanor and speech, but also evidences our core commitments to the Beatitudes and the virtue of civility.
Through reading his devotional this year, Bob Goff has been a great coach to me in this area, and I’d like to share a few of his insights (along with a couple from others), offering three ways to be a life-giving presence to the people around you– family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.
- “Look for opportunities to extend acceptance, offer hope, increase delight, and meet the needs of those around you.” Marketing genius Don Miller’s advice on being a “survival asset,” rather than a “survival liability,” goes well with this. Miller says a “survival asset” is positive, wise, encouraging, optimistic, disciplined, loyal, and has resources. In sync with Goff, Miller would say to pick your top three “survival assets” and lean into these to increase your influence and bring life to the people around you.
- “Find someone today you can engage with genuine interest and curiosity about their journey.” The curiosity here has a couple of parts: It first means being curious about what other people think more than airing your own opinions. Goff suggests that we not just ask for their opinion, but their “unique take.” For example, being back in the contraversial prolife space, I have begun to ask some “What is your unique take on abortion?” In asking for their unique take, I want to communicate that their individual perspective matters to me. But there is a second part to the kind of curiosity Goff is promoting. We need to be curious enough to listen to their story. Ask “how did you come to your opinion on [insert topic]? In other words, Goff says, “Come in with the mindset of a student, not a guest lecturer in someone’s life.”
- “Stay clear of words that hurt or divide.” This is a tough one, as there is a place for boldly proclaiming the truth, and I definitely have some strong beliefs– even convictions about divisive topics. What I’m learning, however, is my need to lean more into Christ’s calling to be a peacemaker. I love Brian Zahn’s fresh paraphrase of the “peacemaker” Beatitude: “Blessed are the bridge-builders in a war-torn world, for they are God’s children working in the family business.” The advice here goes well with Jeremiah 29:7, which says, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Sources:
- Bob Goff, Catching Whimsy: 365 Days of Possibility (Nashville, TN: Nelson, 2024).
- Brianzahnd.substack.com