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A person’s work or service is absolutely related to his character. As his character is, so will be his way of doing things and his work. Many difficulties that we have as serving ones stem from our character. Of course, some of our problems are spiritual, and some are emotional. Most problems, however, are caused by our character. Therefore, while learning to serve the Lord, we need to be in constant fellowship with Him and rely on His grace; on the other hand, we also must deal severely with our character.
We ourselves bear the responsibility for dealing with our own character. It seems that it is not easy for the Holy Spirit to do this for us. We cannot say that the Holy Spirit does not touch or interfere with the matters of our character, such as the way we conduct ourselves and the way we do things, but we are wrong if we expect the Holy Spirit to build a good character for us. The Holy Spirit does not do much in this area. Even when He does, He needs our full cooperation.
Some brothers have problems with their character. They never finish thoroughly any task that is put into their hands. After all their efforts, a “tail” always remains. This is a problem of character. Some term this a problem of habit, but we do not think that is a fitting description; rather, we like to call it a problem of character.
One who serves the Lord must have a good character that loves to contact people. Some people by nature like to meet others, but this is natural. It is not in resurrection and is therefore useless. In our service we need to be dealt with by God to the extent that we love to contact people. To speak in nonspiritual terms, we need to deal with ourselves, to force ourselves to contact people.
I asked one of the brothers to tell me how many saints have come from overseas to attend this conference, and I asked him whether he had contacted them. He said that he had contacted only two brothers from Hong Kong and another from Indonesia. Moreover, he did not know their names. Do not think that I am too much. This is where our problem lies. I believe that this brother will allow me to say that to contact people is not an easy thing. This is a problem not only with him but with all of us. As we are here in this training, many young brothers who are serving the Lord are eating in the same dining room and are being trained in the same classroom. The brothers from overseas have come not only to listen to some messages but also to seek fellowship. As a rule, we all should sense a responsibility to fellowship with them and render help to them. Unfortunately, there is a solid wall here, which the Spirit can hardly break down. We simply do not have the character to contact people.
Brothers, if we were more broken, or if we had learned more concerning proper spiritual temperament, today we would be receiving even more grace. Among us, grace is not contagious enough, because we are too separated. We should allow grace to infect us, to flow between us to the uttermost. However, according to my observation, there are still many separations among us.
For some brothers and sisters, it is not that they do not like to contact others but that they like to contact only a few special ones. For example, Brother Wu loves to contact Brother Chow, and Brother Chow loves to contact Brother Wu. Brother Chow not only knows Brother Wu’s name, but he knows him inside out. There is nothing about Brother Wu that he does not know. However, concerning those from Indonesia, whether their last name is Liu or Wang makes no difference to him. He does not remember clearly how many are here from Manila or from the United States. He does not know which room they are staying in. After staying with them for months, he has not asked their names. How can we serve the Lord with this kind of character?
During the training at Kou Lin in 1948 and 1949, Brother Nee in one lesson told us that in order to be useful in the hand of the Lord, one must be interested in people. One must love to study people and must have an interest in them. In particular, one should always contact the new ones. When such a person helps the new ones, he is happy. He is contented just to talk to them. We must have this kind of temperament; otherwise, our service will be greatly frustrated.
We should come early to every meeting. If the meeting starts at half past seven, we should arrive at seven o’clock. Why should we come early? We should come early to wait for people. It is worthwhile to contact people, even if only for five or ten minutes. Contact them not only before but also after the meeting. If we contact two people before and after every meeting, throughout a week we will have contacted at least ten in five meetings. Perhaps some would say that this is too mechanical. No, if you have this kind of character, you will feel that this is very spontaneous. In every meeting you will contact one when you come and one when you leave. Some say that the saints always leave immediately after the meeting. If this is the case, why not walk with them for some distance? You could walk with them from the meeting hall to the street and exchange a few words with them, asking them about their work and their condition before the Lord. Remember that sometimes just these simple conversations give people great help.
Do not be too official or too formal while contacting people. Do not say, “Now I am serving the Lord, and from three to five in the afternoon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will go out to visit people. My living is regulated, and I must wait until three o’clock every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I will go out to visit people only after kneeling down to pray for ten minutes.” In the end, since no one seems to be home, you return empty. You may then consider this a real discipline of the Holy Spirit, because everyone you wanted to see was not home. Actually, this is a formal, bureaucratic kind of service. No one would be successful or make a profit in business by using this method. Many times a profitable business deal is consummated on a tennis court over a match or in a coffee shop over coffee.
Brothers, you must learn to have this kind of character; otherwise, believe me, you will be of little use. Our contact with the Lord is one thing, and our contact with people is another. Our contact with the Lord can never replace our contact with people. While He was on the earth, our Lord Jesus always maintained these two kinds of contact. The Lord never went anywhere without contacting people. Everywhere He went, He contacted people. If He did not contact anyone, it was intentional, because of God’s will, because He lived under the governing of God’s will. He contacted people everywhere. He adapted His messages to changing circumstances, speaking the proper words to each kind of person and for each occasion. His speaking was never monotonous or set, nor was it according to a formula. He was available at all times; therefore, He could give grace at all times and could contact all kinds of people.
Some brothers have the attitude that they have learned the matter of inward fellowship; therefore, they feel that such an activity as contacting people is for those who love excitement, and thus, they leave it to others. This concept is wrong. Let me ask you, what lesson did the Lord Jesus learn? Whatever lesson you learn should be in the realm of contacting people. Contact people all the time. When I am with an elderly brother, I learn before him. While meeting young brothers, I render them some help. If there were such a condition in a church, how much blessing there would be! Because of this little practice many people would be brought in, and a fire would be ignited.
Many times after the Lord’s table I saw the brothers and sisters leave one by one. This reminds me of the scene in John 8:7, where the Lord Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Hearing these words, the Jews went out one by one, beginning with older ones until the last. It is rare to see two brothers or two sisters talking to each other. Even when people converse, they talk to those with whom they are familiar, and they seldom look for others. This is a most serious problem.
