Our 26th president Theodore Roosevelt was often quoted as reminding his staff that “People don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.” I know many people think this when Dad and I, or any preacher, come into a new church. The speaker seems distant and inaccessible. The best way to break down these assumptions is to go face to face. A simple conversation and smile breaks down so many barriers. I can’t tell you how many times people have said, “Thank you for taking time to speak with me.” I hear that far more than, “Wow, your message was so powerful!”

People don’t care about the message we have initially as much as whether there is any concern for them. It’s the personal moments, where you relate eye to eye that count the most. Once, leading up to a festival, Dad and I sat down with the mayor of the host city. She was clearly not pleased, but after one kind comment from Dad asking about her family, she immediately started to pour out her life and the conversation led us to a wide open door for sharing the Good News.

Romans 2:4 reveals this powerful truth: ”…it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.” We can all smile and show genuine interest in others. And when we do, just watch the ways God will use us to then share the Good News and reach our world.                         

This is Andrew Palau.