A Familiar Face

Drew Waeckerle – 

“I do not know any lost people, and I am not sure how to meet any.” That’s what I often hear from fellow followers of Jesus when I encourage them to reach out to those who don’t yet know Him. Of course, not knowing any lost people is an issue if we are to fulfill Jesus’ call to go and make disciples.

So how do we solve that problem? Here are three steps I’ve found helpful:

1. Be Seen

To be seen, we must begin by becoming a familiar face to the lost. This simply means being visible on a regular basis to the same people. If you’re a coffee drinker, perhaps you can make a habit of going to the same coffee shop so that you can get to know the baristas and other regular customers. Or maybe you can make a habit of frequenting the lunchroom at your office or walking the same loop every morning. Whatever the case, becoming a familiar face requires a certain level of consistency.

2. Be Heard

Once you are seen as a familiar face, you are now in a great position to hear and be heard. Often, this begins with small talk. Many people aren’t fans of small talk, but if you view it as a way of discovering little details about people that can lead to deeper connections, you’ll soon see its value. For example, through small talk, you may learn people’s names, how many kids they have (if any), what kind of work they do, or what hobbies they enjoy. Remember those details the next time you see them and watch them light up and your connection grow.

3. Be Invested

After showing repeated interest in someone, a new friendship may begin. Now, it’s time to see if you can take things a little deeper—perhaps through an invitation. Ask if they’d like to join you for lunch one day, mention that you have some friends getting together to do an activity they enjoy, or even ask them for a little help with something they are an “expert” in. As you can see, this takes a bit more investment on your part, but it’s this kind of investment that often brings great rewards.

Three years ago, I started working out of a Common Desk location. After a couple of weeks, I became a familiar face to many people. One company occupied the whole third floor, but they had to come to the first floor for coffee. When they did, I made sure to refill my coffee at the same time. After refilling my coffee mug alongside Noah nearly three times a day, I finally decided to introduce myself. Soon, I found myself making small talk with Noah around the coffee pot. Later, I decided to join Noah for lunch on the outdoor patio of Common Desk. This also opened the door for me to meet many of Noah’s coworkers. Eventually, I got Noah’s phone number, we went out for happy hour a few times after work, and I even went on a weekend trip with some of his coworkers. Now, Noah has attended several discussion groups about God and life and has even been involved in a group exploring what the Bible has to say.

That’s the value of being seen, heard, and invested.

Drew Waeckerle is on Search Staff in Collin County, Texas, is married to Lea, and has two girls. Drew loves the mountains, hiking and the outdoors, and exploring new cities and restaurants with Lea.