Take It Personally

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 

Ephesians 1:17

So you’ve heard the phrase, “Don’t take it personally,” right? Well, let’s consider the opposite. I recently read an article about the increase in the numbers of sports fans who are women. It’s not an accident, either. The sports industry has made an effort to include our demographic.

Do you know how they have marketed sports to women? They run articles and television programs about the personal lives of athletes to perk our interest. From stories of tragedy to triumph to stories of family and friends, these tactics work!

Did you know that Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos quarterback, has consistently written encouraging letters to members of the organizations he has played for? We’re talking facilities workers and office staff, not just his teammates and coaches. And he is a follower of Jesus.

By knowing something personal about this quarterback, do you like him more? I do. We appreciate the person he is, and we are now more inclined to care about what he does on the football field. Because we got a little more personal.   

We are also more inclined to care about others when we know them better. I encourage you to invest in the lives of those around you. Get to know your neighbors. Ask that acquaintance to lunch. When we really connect with those around us, we are affected by what affects them. We become more sympathetic. We care about their lives.

We also know that the more personal our relationship with Jesus becomes, the more He affects our lives. The closer we get to Jesus, the more His Word and His Love infiltrates our hearts and changes us. Let’s take it personally.

Lord, thank You that we can know You personally. Deepen and grow our relationships with You, which in turn change us to be more like You. Help us to get to know those around us so that we can love them as You do.

Julie