Check Your "THEM" Que

It is one of those quick statements that carry a great burden of meaning. When you first hear it, you might say, “Huh, that makes sense,” and then go on about your business. But the word that describes the statement best is “profound.” If you stop to think about it, it will convict you. It will make you uncomfortable. It may even cause you to be dissatisfied with the way you are living your life. It can motivate you to change some things. What is the statement?

“I can’t reach THEM until I first reach a THEM.”

Now I know this is insider speak. I use the word THEM in a non-gramatic way to help focus my mind on the Great Commission. My THEMs are my mission field - the people in my circles of relationship God is leading me to connect with and invest in. I work to make disciples of THEM, baptize THEM, and teach THEM to observe all the things Christ taught. If I focus on reaching the world for Christ, there is a very real possibility I may never reach a single person for Christ.

The key is to move from general to specific. We will only reach the world for Christ one person at a time. What about you? Can you name a THEM in your life? “You can’t reach THEM until you first reach a THEM.” Think about it! I do, and it has changed me.