Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

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The Few and the Many‍

Dear Friend,                

Jesus Christ enjoyed spending time among crowds of people.

“When he wentashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, becausethey were like sheep without a shepherd.” Mark 6:34*  

He loved the “many” as they came to him.

Love the many. As people flow into your life one by one or in the midst of crowds, extend the compassion of Jesus Christ to them.

At the same time Jesus loved the many, he also focused on a few – he went to them.

"And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.” Luke 6:13 Jesus focused on a “few.”

To these few, Jesus gave extra time and attention seeking to grow in friendship and to develop them in discipleship.

To model the ministry of Jesus means we, too, must focus on a few, no matter how many our many may be.

Who are your "few?” They may be family, friends, fellow-workers, members of a small group Bible study or a ministry team, and so on. Pray for them. Spend time with them. Look for ways to grow in your relationships and to encourage their faith in Jesus Christ.

Notice that Jesus combined the many and the few. He ministered to the many with the few.This was one of His greatest methods of developing people.

Love the many -- focus on a few!

Joy to you – E. Stanley Ott

©Copyright 2019E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the ESV

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Think about your "many's" - groups, classes, teams, families, neighborhoods that you are a part of. As people connect with you from your "many," do you give them time and attention - or do you reserve that only for your few?

Think about your few - who are they - those whom you intentionally focus on to grow in friendship with and to encourage one another's faith? If you are busy with lots of "many's" - groups - do you take the time to focus on a few? Jesus did!