Random tip for victory group leaders who wish to succeed in their discipleship: turn off your cell phones. Or at least set it to silent mode and don’t touch it again until the meeting is over.
Everyone knows how irritating it is when the person you are talking to stops in the middle of the conversation and starts texting. Aside from the fact that it’s unprofessional, it communicates an unmistakable message that we do not care and that they don’t matter that much to us.
Of course we care. We wouldn’t be there if we didn’t. But no matter how good your intentions are, when your actions say otherwise, that person may never see you again.
I will never forget this one time when I had a meeting with someone who can’t seem to let go of his phone for even a minute. I was pouring my heart out to him in the hopes of getting a proper biblical counsel. I told him stories that were very difficult to talk about but while I was in a state of heavy drama, he was texting under the table. I don’t remember how the meeting ended and I don’t remember what he said that day but I could remember very well the sense of insignificance he inadvertently communicated to me when he did it.
We don’t want to send that message to the people we are ministering to. If we want to show them the love of Christ, we can begin by giving them proper time and attention. That communicates value to them. I know we have important things to attend to but even Jesus, whose mission was to save the entire humanity, took the time to slow down and embrace the children. He showed them their significance by paying attention to them (Mark 10.13-16).
What are your cellphone habits when you’re in a meeting?
Jojo Agot 