Be Observant And Flexible Series

We live in a hectic and fast paced world. I’m sure that many of you have noticed just how busy life can be. I read an article entitled, “Goal Oriented or People Oriented,” and I want to share with you something it says. This article states, “Many times we get caught up in our ‘to do’ lists and focus on goals and tasks, [and] we often forget about our ‘relationships’ with people . . . We are so driven that we have to schedule our kids, husbands and wives, moms and dads, into the ‘time slots’ that are left; [and] this doesn’t take into consideration time for friends, acquaintances or people we bump into on a daily basis.”(1)

This article goes on to ask, “So, how do we change? How do we quit letting opportunities pass [us] by to genuinely show interest in other people?”(2) These are some good questions to consider, especially for those of us seeking to share the love of Jesus Christ and make an eternal impact in the lives of others. There is actually an answer to these questions in observing the way that Jesus responded to people’s needs, as we will see demonstrated in our passage.

Jesus Had in Mind a Goal to Accomplish (vv. 18-19)

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

We read here that a ruler approached Jesus, worshipped Him, and petitioned Him to heal his daughter. “This man, as both Mark and Luke say (Mk 5:22; Lk 8:41), was named Jairus; and was a ruler, not of the Sanhedrim, or some lesser [council], but of the synagogue that was at Capernaum; and whom the Jews call ‘the head of the synagogue’.”(3) His request was for Jesus to come to his house, lay hands on his daughter and bring her back to life, for she had just died. In Mark’s version, Jairus stated, “My little daughter lies at the point of death” (Mark 5:23); in other words, not entirely dead, but close.

Jesus and His disciples, as soon as they heard his petition, got up and went. They had a destination in sight (the ruler’s house), and a task in mind (healing his daughter). In other words, they had a goal. This observation provides an opportunity to share about goal orientation. It is good to have a goal in sight, for “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV); however, some people are so goal oriented that they miss many other opportunities for ministry that lie around them.

“Evangelical Missions Quarterly quotes a former Yugoslavian youth pastor as saying that American missionaries ‘are more or less goal oriented than people oriented’.”(4) Allow me to expand on this observation. In her book Grandma’s Letters from Africa, missionary Linda Thomas speaks about the differences between American and Kenyan culture; and she provides a really good example of the cultural barrier that exists because America’s focus on goal orientation. Thomas says,

Many Americans struggle with a people-oriented culture because we are goal-oriented – we have work to do. Most of us believe that time is money and, in more ways than we realize, money is one of our gods. When we greet a person, we might say, “How are you?” but sometimes we don’t really want to know his answer and we don’t wait for it. If he tries to answer, we don’t pay attention. Instead, we get right to business – “Would you please make fifty copies of this,” we ask with thin smiles, “and have them on my desk by ten o’clock? Thanks.” And then we hurry off to our next duty.(5)

If we are not careful, we can become so focused on a specific task that we will miss other opportunities for ministry. Also, we can become so focused on trying to appear productive, and doing for the sake of doing, that we might forget the real purpose behind our efforts. It is all too common for individuals in ministry to become overly focused on small and often menial tasks, and then forget to take time for the people around them; and ministry is supposed to be about people!

Jesus Was Flexible Along the Way (vv. 20-22)

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.