Enjoying More People

by Marlene Evans
Founder of the Christian Womanhood Magazine

If I could begin again, I trust I would learn to enjoy more people and help my children to enjoy more people.

There are not many attributes of the average politician to which I would point others. There is one I feel we ought to consider. That is the characteristic way in which many politicians “slug it out” on the senate floor or through the media only to meet afterwards and congratulate each other on a proposal well presented. Somehow these people are able to separate their social and work selves in a way which helps them enjoy what they can about the other one. Some of this enjoyment might be a farce— just another part of the political game, but I believe this phenomenon ought to be considered by Christians.

Christians show the world they belong to Christ by how they love one another. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35) Why are we ready to bail out on someone as soon as we find their problems in life?

Modesty in Motion, a Christian apparel company in CA specializing in modest clothes for women. (Click on the image for more information.)

People, in this life, we will not find any person who lives up to our expectations, preferences and tastes 100 percent of the time. We don’t even live up to our own preferences.

The other day I heard someone say they didn’t want to work with a person because they had been in trouble with that same person in a game. As Dr. Vogel has pointed out, there are mothers who have tried to march on to the little league field to reprimand the umpire. That is not good. However, that does not mean I wouldn’t enjoy that mother in another situation.

There are people with whom I love working, but I would not want to have them as a vacation partner. There are people who delight me as we visit alone who are not quite so delightful when we are in a group of people. There are folks who can help me in such a way that I stand amazed who, on the other hand, become easily disgruntled in a social situation. There are ladies who thrive and help me to thrive in winning souls who fade into insignificance as a help in any other area.

The lady discussed earlier who didn’t want to work with a person with whom she had had trouble at a game “bit off her nose to spite her face.” She needed that person’s knowledge, and I believe would have enjoyed her in the work area.

Creative Printing, a Christian Printing Company in California. (Click on the image for more information.)

Recently one lady told me of a second lady who saw a third lady do an ungracious thing—barge in on an established conversation without a “Please,” or “Excuse me,” or “Forgive me for a minute.” Lady #1 said, “Lady #2 has had a hard time with Lady #3 anyway.”

Well, I know people who have hard times with Lady #1, Lady #2, Lady #3 and myself, by the way. Ladies, ladies, ladies, let the love of God so saturate you through His Word, His nature and all He is that you don’t allow yourself the luxury of choosing traits you can or cannot accept in God’s creation—people.

Do you suppose, as we give up friends, family and acquaintances, as soon as we discover their “bottom line,” that we are showing forth the love of Christ? No, of course not!

I am really glad He didn’t look at some of my dumb tactics and decide His blood could not benefit me! “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)