There are no throw-away people for Jesus. I don’t have to bring Jesus into my workplace, school or pilates class. Jesus is already there. Jesus is already stirring questions, longings and moments of spiritual thirst. My role is not to manufacture spiritual interest but to notice and join what Jesus is already doing. Believing this mindset is critical for having more spiritual conversations with people.

The key skill to develop this mindset is learning to preach the Gospel to myself. As I mentally revisit Jesus’ faithful pursuit of me, I begin to see Jesus’ pursuit of others.
 

"Holy Spirit, develop in me a deep curiosity for others and vision to notice where you are already working. Help me to see every person I encounter as the object of Your love."

There are no throw-away moments of life for Jesus. Smiling and learning the name of the barista who hands me my coffee, chatting at the end of my driveway with a neighbor, lingering after basketball practice to check on someone who seems down - every moment matters.
 

The two skills to develop this mindset are active listening and asking good questions.
 

"Holy Spirit, help me to listen well so that people feel valued rather than evaluated. Safeguard me from interrupting, fixing, correcting, or steering the conversation. May my questions be thoughtful and helpful, so that people begin to sense Your presence through my listening."

Jesus fed crowds on a hillside (serving) and thoroughly enjoyed a good meal with people who believed and behaved far differently than Him (life together). People already surround us where we live, work, play, and study. Baking a pie and celebrating the birthday of a neighbor builds trust. Consider joining a running club or volunteering at the neighborhood garden, hobbies that you already enjoy doing alone, but do them with others and see how the Holy Spirit expands your circle of friends and develops deeper conversations.

The key skill to develop this mindset is proximity.

"Holy Spirit, give me courage to meet new people and creativity to use my hobbies, talents, time, home and possessions as a way to build friendships with people who do not yet know you."

As I slow down, listen, serve and enjoy people I begin to hear spiritual longings, questions and beliefs. Because I am a safe person and our friendship has no agenda, at the right time and with my friend’s permission, I can share a brief story that relates to my friend’s struggle of how Jesus has made an impact on my life. We call this brief story a spiritual appetizer.

The key skill to develop this mindset is crafting the spiritual appetizers in my life and learning to share them in 2 minutes or less.

"Holy Spirit, build trust and security in my friendships. Give me a sense of timing so that when I do share how you are working in my life, it feels like a gift and not pressure. Allow my spiritual appetizer to create greater curiosity in my friend so we can have more spiritual conversations."