HOW TO KNOW MAN
TO KNOW MAN is vital to a worker. When someone comes to us, we must discern his spiritual condition, his nature, and the extent of his spiritual progress. We must determine whether he has said what is really in his heart and how much he has left unsaid. Further, we should perceive his characteristics, whether he is hard or humble, whether his humility is true or false. Our effectiveness in service is closely related to our discernment of man's spiritual condition. If God's Spirit enables us through our spirit to know the condition of the person before us, we can then impart the appropriate word. In the Gospels we find that whenever men came to our Lord, He always had the right word. This is a marvelous thing. The Lord did not talk to the Samaritan woman about new birth, nor did he tell Nicodemus of living water. The truth of the new birth was for Nicodemus, while the truth of the living water was for the Samaritan woman. How appropriate they were.
Those who had not followed Him were invited to come; but those who desired to follow Him were invited to bear the cross. To one who volunteered, He spoke of counting the cost; while to one who lingered, He said "Let the dead bury their dead." Our Lord's words were most appropriate, for He knew all men. Our Lord knew whether they came as earnest seekers or merely to spy on Him; and what He said to them was always right to the point. May God be merciful to us that we also may learn from Him how to know man so that we may be effective in dealing with people. Without such imparted knowledge, a brother can only handle souls by his own understanding. If he has a special feeling on a certain day, he will speak to everybody according to that feeling, no matter who it is that comes. If he has a favorite subject, he speaks on it to all who come to him. How can such work be effective? No physician can use the same prescription for all his patients. Alas, some who serve God have only one prescription. Though they cannot first diagnose people's sicknesses, they are trying to cure them. In spite of their ignorance of man's complexities and their lack of insight into man's spiritual condition, none the less they seem to be quite ready to treat every ailment. How foolish to have only one spiritual prescription, yet try to meet every kind of spiritual disease!
May God sharpen our discernment in order to know every man in Jesus name. Amen!
To be continued in diet 20.
Author: Watchman Nee
Compiled and edited by: Peter O. Olutoyese
Mmmmm!!!
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