Week 42: People - Learn to Love them

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice, and motivated by pride and vanity.” (Dale Carnegie)

“See people not for what they can do for you, see people for what they worth; they worth the Blood of the Son of Man.” (Richard Angelus)

People skills are important if you want to live in this world. It’s obvious if you realized that no matter where you go, with some minor exceptions – you will meet people. Some people may irritate you. Some may bring more harm than security. But some people may bring joy to you so you treasure them. It is important for us to cultivate people skills and learned to connect with others as effectively as possible. Along my journey to connect with others, I still have my own difficulties. Therefore, I committed to develop this valuable habit to love people day by day (It's hard). Here are some lessons that I learned along the way. I hope that it will be helpful for you to apply in your encounter with people.

People are generally lonely; give them a sense of community

I grew up in a village where there is strong sense of community within our neighborhood. People know each other because there’s no wall between houses, no gate of separation and there’s no secret between families. I once attended a church service in the city, everything is so difference. There is no one to welcome me. I was standing for 1 hour and nobody notice my present. It was a horrible experience for me.
People are generally lonely. Whenever possible, try to identify them in your community and treat them well. Don’t just hang around with your friends (or particular group of people) all the time. Try to identify the lonely, stranger and outcast around you. Show them that they are welcome, give them support and hospitality anyway possible. Who know, someday you might be the one who left out - lonely.


People need someone to believe in them

John H. Spalding noted, “Those who believe in our ability do more than stimulate us. They create for us an atmosphere in which it becomes easier to succeed.” My friend Allan was an alcoholic and faithful smoker just like me. When he realized that I had stopped those old habits, he asked me for help. “It’s hard to stop,” he complained. I told him, “If I can do it, you can do it too. I believe someday you will break these useless habits man.” After 3 months, he did it! It’s amazing what people can do if you just make them think more highly of themselves. John C. Maxwell writes, “Believing in people before they have proved themselves is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.”

Treat people like a human being.

Sometime it’s easy for us to forget that people are a human being just like you and I. We have the same basic needs. People need to be understood, to be loved. Add value to them. Motivate them to win. Give them hope. It is said that people can live 40 days without food, 4 days without water, 4 minutes without air, 4 seconds without hope.


Show respect towards others.

Les Giblin said “You can’t make the other fellow feel important in your presence if you secretly feel that he is a nobody”. Never treat others differences based on their status, race, or religious background. Just because someone using a Perodua Kancil and you’re using BMW 5 Series Sedan on the road, it doesn’t mean that you’re the ‘King’ on the road. We cannot expect people to respect us if we don’t first give respect to others.

Focus on others instead of yourself

Question: what can you give them without benefiting yourself? Often we love to give because we expect something in return. When others didn’t treat us the way we treat them, we frustrated. Try not to focus on what you can get when you help others. Those who focus on others soon learned that there’s a joy in their heart and a peace of mind - knowing that God will bless them in secret.

Jesus die for people

This is a powerful fact that can help you to value people more than what they are. Jesus did not come to earth, die on the cross and rose from the grave for a bunch of chimpanzee or Orang Utan; He came because He sees the value of people for who they are. He came for me, you and others. Do you believe this? For those who believe, the Scripture had something important to tell you, “…we have hope set on the Living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10)
 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.