Tunnel vision is one of the greatest dangers a leader can face.
If you are unfamiliar with tunnel vision, it is when you lose your peripheral vision and can only see what is in front of you.
When leading ministry, it is tempting to become so focused on logistics, regular or engaged participants, and even your friends that you lose sight of those who really need your help – men at the margins.
Every single man matters to God. Leaders need to live like this is true.
Men can be found at the margins for any number of reasons. It could be economic, relational, race or ethnicity, physical or mental health, personality differences, or anything else that means a man is not someone who is connected or engaged in your ministry.
If you are committed to following Jesus as a leader, you must be committed to reaching those on the margins. Read the Gospels, and you will see Him repeatedly identifying and ministering to those on the margins. Whether He was serving disabled people whom society ignored (Mark 2:1-12), Samaritan people whom Jews hated (John 4:1-42), or calling people nobody liked to follow Him (Matthew 9:9-13), Jesus was always looking at the margins.
Here are 4 ways to help you engage with the men at the margins.
1. Look Around
You would be surprised how many men are on the margins but can be in your field of vision if you just take some time to look around.
I remember the story of a well-known and well-respected man in his church. Everyone wanted to talk to him on a Sunday. But he decided to look for the men standing alone or perhaps physically struggling to move around. He soon found himself having conversations with men who had severe mental health problems and older men who needed assistance to get out of their cars and into the church building.
The truth is that men on the margins are all around you – you simply need to take some time to look around. We get so busy with our friendships or the things we need to check off our to-do list that we miss seeing people. But if you are a leader, you are in the people business. Look around and see the people.
2. Talk to Them
If all you do is look around – it’s just weird. You need to act on what you see.
I have a friend who is fantastic at seeing men at the margins. He is almost always distracted when talking to me in certain environments because he is looking for people on the margins. When he sees someone, he will stop talking to me and take steps to go and speak to those people.
Men on the margins are not a project to be fixed; they are people made in the image of God who deserve to be respected and known. When you identify someone on the margins, take some time to introduce yourself and get to know them. You will often be amazed how many of your preconceived ideas of these men will begin to disappear as you engage in conversation.
3. Serve Them
As you engage in conversation, you may observe that these men have immediate needs you can assist with.
In John 5, Jesus sees a man sitting near the pool of Bethesda who has been disabled for thirty-eight years. Jesus sees the man and recognizes He has something to offer the man – the ability to get well.
It’s simple and obvious but still requires you to slow down enough to see men, talk to them, and then serve them if you can.
This does not have to be complicated. If you are hosting a men’s breakfast or dinner – are there men who have difficulty getting to the table to get their food? Why not offer to load up a plate of food and bring it to them?
Serving those in need is the heart of Jesus and the sign of a great spiritual leader.
4. Invite Them In
Imagine showing up at the workplace of some men that no other leader wanted and inviting them to follow you.
This is precisely what Jesus did when he called his first disciples. It’s one thing to ask men at the margins to attend your activities; it’s another to invite them to serve and even be part of the leadership. When you invite these men in, you validate that you have seen them and believe they have value.
Always remember the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
About
