One-on-One
One-on-One’s happen weekly with the Education Team at Opendoor. It’s a time when calendars are blocked for two employees to communicate, collaborate, listen, and assist each other in areas of need. It’s also a time of honest conversation that ultimately and hopefully builds trust over time, leading to valued relationships that yield great fruit.
Honest conversations come with a high vulnerability. How am I doing? Where am I winning? Where am I missing the mark? What do you see? Where are we going? We need to pause. We need to do a u-turn. It is a time where direction can be given to avoid a catastrophic event.
In a recent staff meeting, we expounded on a message spoken by Pastor Aaron Kennedy in which he posed a question to a pastor friend, one that I honestly cannot shake: “Was there a time in your life that you were more passionate about Jesus than you are right now; and if so, when did it change?”
Working in ministry, it can seem that we are doing all the right things. Caring for people, loving children, serving families, going to church, leading worship, leading small groups, teaching biblical truth, giving to the poor, counseling, taking the trash out, helping people, directing traffic flow in the parking lot, etc.
On the outside, it can look like we have it all together; but in reality, Jesus is the one that examines our heart and intentions. He ultimately sees the good things and applauds but can be saddened to know that we’ve neglected the one thing that he always hangs his hat on: loving Him and loving people.
Revelation 1: 2-5:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
Ouch, right? God saw the good things they were doing, yet pointed out that the church’s love for Him wasn’t as passionate as it once used to be. As much as they were doing great things, they were forgetting to truly love people as well.
Romans 12:9 says, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.”
Remember the one-on-ones with staff members? The only way we can truly love Jesus and others with all our heart is to chase after Jesus and make time with Him the priority over everything else. It is when we are one-on-one with Him that genuineness and compassion flow from being in His presence.
I am internally wired to win. I never want Jesus to look at me and say that He sees all the work I am doing for the Kingdom but then say, “I have this one complaint.” Let’s be a people that start on our knees one-on-one with Jesus and end each day serving Him and people out of the overflow of His presence. Let’s be a people that have honest and hard conversations with Jesus, asking Him to search us. He is so kind to walk us through anything and to point us in the right direction. He’s a good Father, one that I want to love passionately and unashamedly; and in turn, love others as myself.
ACTIVATION: Is there a time in your life that you were more passionate about Jesus than you are now? If the answer is yes, When did it change? Take time to journal, repent, and simply abide in His presence. Let’s fall madly in love with Jesus by having consistent one-on-one with the One that matters most. His name is Jesus.
Honest conversations come with a high vulnerability. How am I doing? Where am I winning? Where am I missing the mark? What do you see? Where are we going? We need to pause. We need to do a u-turn. It is a time where direction can be given to avoid a catastrophic event.
In a recent staff meeting, we expounded on a message spoken by Pastor Aaron Kennedy in which he posed a question to a pastor friend, one that I honestly cannot shake: “Was there a time in your life that you were more passionate about Jesus than you are right now; and if so, when did it change?”
Working in ministry, it can seem that we are doing all the right things. Caring for people, loving children, serving families, going to church, leading worship, leading small groups, teaching biblical truth, giving to the poor, counseling, taking the trash out, helping people, directing traffic flow in the parking lot, etc.
On the outside, it can look like we have it all together; but in reality, Jesus is the one that examines our heart and intentions. He ultimately sees the good things and applauds but can be saddened to know that we’ve neglected the one thing that he always hangs his hat on: loving Him and loving people.
Revelation 1: 2-5:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
Ouch, right? God saw the good things they were doing, yet pointed out that the church’s love for Him wasn’t as passionate as it once used to be. As much as they were doing great things, they were forgetting to truly love people as well.
Romans 12:9 says, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.”
Remember the one-on-ones with staff members? The only way we can truly love Jesus and others with all our heart is to chase after Jesus and make time with Him the priority over everything else. It is when we are one-on-one with Him that genuineness and compassion flow from being in His presence.
I am internally wired to win. I never want Jesus to look at me and say that He sees all the work I am doing for the Kingdom but then say, “I have this one complaint.” Let’s be a people that start on our knees one-on-one with Jesus and end each day serving Him and people out of the overflow of His presence. Let’s be a people that have honest and hard conversations with Jesus, asking Him to search us. He is so kind to walk us through anything and to point us in the right direction. He’s a good Father, one that I want to love passionately and unashamedly; and in turn, love others as myself.
ACTIVATION: Is there a time in your life that you were more passionate about Jesus than you are now? If the answer is yes, When did it change? Take time to journal, repent, and simply abide in His presence. Let’s fall madly in love with Jesus by having consistent one-on-one with the One that matters most. His name is Jesus.
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1 Comment
Loving Jesus, Loving People - something you model well! Ps. Nikki💞