God’s unit of salvation is the household (Luke 19:5, 9; Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 1:16a). We have to learn to be human in order to take care of such a household. If we remain in our natural man, this will be a very difficult task. In our natural, old man we do not have a tendency to love anyone but ourselves. We do not love the elderly, the middle-aged, the young, the children, or even the infants. Many Christians will admit that they really loved no one but themselves before they were saved.
Some may argue that many young people love each other when they are engaged to be married. But why would so many separate or divorce after marriage? They separate from each other or become divorced because marriage no longer fits into their self-interest. Separation and divorce are expressions of self-love. While they are dating, a young couple may express great love toward each other. Eventually, the real love, self-love, becomes expressed. One may say, “I am yours. I belong to you.” Later it becomes obvious that actually he cares only for himself.
To properly care for the unit of God’s salvation, we must love every member of that household. We have to love every man and woman, from the oldest to the youngest. It may be that the little children in a certain home are naughty or unruly. Consequently, we may want nothing to do with them. But if we do not take proper care of such children, their parents may become offended with us and reject the gospel of Christ. If we are going to gain the whole household, we must learn to love every kind of person who is a part of that household-strong, weak, healthy, sick, young, old, and even the infants.
In 1955 and 1957, we invited Brother T. Austin-Sparks to visit us in Taiwan. At that time, he was close to seventy years of age. He told us that according to his experience he had learned that every mother considers her child to be either the most beautiful or the most handsome. If she has a girl, that is the most beautiful girl on earth. If she has a boy, that is the most handsome boy on earth. Many mothers brought their children to meet Brother Sparks. If the child was beautiful, he would say so to the mother. But if the child was not beautiful, he realized that he would offend the mother by saying such a thing to her. The mother would also be offended if he said nothing. So he handled the situation by saying, “Oh, what a child!” When the mother heard this expression, she was very pleased.
When we go to visit households with the gospel of Christ, we must learn not to be offensive to them. Rather, we must learn to take care of their needs. If we are unwise, the parents’ hearts may be damaged, and the door within them will be closed to us. Further words from us will find no entrance or penetration.
We all have to learn how to get ourselves prepared to preach the gospel to the whole household. Even our gestures should invite their respect. Before we speak something, our gesture or actions should stir up a respect in them toward us. We may be talking to a young adult in the family, yet we may affect an older adult in the same family by our actions. This may open up the older one to receive the gospel. At the proper time, that one may be ready to talk with us because a respect has been created by the manner in which we have visited the household. From this kind of example, we can realize that to preach the gospel to a family requires much learning. How a particular household would be opened to us depends upon our behavior, our manner of speaking, and the attitude we express to all the members of that household. If we really mean business for the Lord, we will have a desire to gain the whole household for His purpose. We must be very human with them in order to gain them for the Lord.
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