The Clifton Factor

We have a friend who turns heads. He's one of those people who everyone knows is in the room. People know Clifton. Now don't get me wrong, he's not a model or a celebrity; people know Clifton because he doesn't give them a choice not to. I call it the Clifton Factor. 

I'm not sure if he knows it, but recently he gave away the secret of his magnetism. It is not his quirky sense of humor or his endearing forthrightness; it isn't because he is an outrageous wild man or has the best new toys. It's not because he dresses well or because of the genuine, beautiful woman on his arm. Nope. It is simply this: his acknowledgment of others. As he spoke to our church leaders one evening he mentioned, as an aside, that when he walks into a room he looks people in the eye and says hello. I think I might have missed part of the actual point he was making then, because I didn't quite hear what he said right after that; too many light bulbs and fireworks were going off in my brain at that point.

There is something about getting outside ourselves and really seeing other people; when we do that we set ourselves apart from the crowd. It takes confidence to look total strangers in the eye and nod hello or greet them; especially when the responses stray away from the friendly return nod. The one where they grab their young and whisk them to safety isn't very reassuring, but thankfully it's not the norm. Most of the time, it just makes people smile and brightens their day. It brightens mine too and I start to stand a little straighter and remember who I am and why I'm here. It opens my eyes to actually see people and I am reminded that I am supposed to be one of Christ's ambassadors while here on earth.

Unfortunately, for some reason confidence is not something I have in abundant reserves. Add to that the fact that life moves swiftly and there are constant demands on my time, body, and mind, and you can see how easy it is for me to forget to consider other people. Somehow, I don't think I'm alone. I think the majority of the people I pass by without considering are doing the same. We don't even realize we're not connecting with one another anymore. Yet, if we don't connect with one another, how can we do the work of the Lord? 

I'm not saying that smiling and nodding to strangers is going to magically lead them to the Truth of the Gospel. However, it is that same principle, The Clifton Factor is what wakes us up to what is happening  outside our own lives and allows us to put the focus on others. That focus, in turn, builds relationships which, in turn, leads people to the Truth of the Gospel.

In the book Where Do We Go From Here, Ralph Neighbor, Jr. gives examples of 'body life'; ministry that is more deeply effective through relationships beyond the church walls. He explains how we each have an oikos. If that sounds Greek to you, that's because it is; it's a Greek term that describes the basic building block of society. It is a term used in the New Testament that refers to a person's personal community. Our oikos is the people we spend quality time with. Neighbors challenges us with the question, "How many Christians in 'full time ministry' have unbelievers in their oikos?".

It is easy to fall into the pattern of enjoying our own oikos and being comfortable there, but it's imperative that we reach out beyond the walls of our own comfort zone and overlap oikos with others. They're not going to up and just leave their oikos and go get in ours without effort on our part. Jesus sure didn't wait around, he went and found people. Think about when he invited himself over to Zacchaeus house (Luke 19:2-5). He went right into that mans oikos, just like that! In Luke 7:36-38 we find Him dining at a Pharisee's house having his feet washed by none other than a prostitute. How's that for oikos crashing? These examples that Jesus lived out for us go on and on. At any given time it seems like we could have found Him, and later, members of the early church, invading the personal community of others. That is the example we are supposed to follow. Maybe what Clifton has should really be called the Jesus Factor.

It is not easy when we're not comfortable or confident. It is not easy when we're stressed and pressed for time. But I believe it will become easier, and employing the mindset behind the Clifton Factor will help. It will help get us out of our own little world and open our eyes to the world around us, a world that needs us to build a relationship with them so they can know the Love of Christ.

Comments

[Steffani White]

Great post, Jenn! Very inspiring!!

[Kathie]

Jenn, thank you for reminding me of the little thing that makes such a huge difference. (I still haven't met Clifton although I do have some of his tapes - smile). John Maxwell says it this way: "Walk slowly through the crowd." I try to remember this, but you are correct that we get so caught up in "doing" the work of the Lord that we totally miss the opportunity to visit "angels unaware" (Hebrews 13:2). Thanks for the gentle reminder. By the way, "Hello, how are you today?" :-)