All God's Children

We're all God's children, created in His image. We who consider Jesus Christ our Savior, have the same lovingfather in heaven. So that makes us a family of brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. How much better our lives and the world would be if wetreated each person we met as a brother or sister instead of making snap judgments based on their appearance or position.

I'm fascinated by people from all walks of life. I've learned that everybody enjoys talking about themselves. And I've realized how much Ienjoy listening and learning about them.

Being a people person might be a talent. But it's also a skill that anyone can learn, practice and develop. It's a skill that I consciously work at,because I believe as brothers and sisters in Christ that each person is a treasure and none more important than another. As the Bible tells us inJames 2:1, "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism."

So I take every opportunity to get to know people, from presidents toparking lot attendants. I try not to let barriers come between me and other people. We're all children of the same father, so there should be no age orethnic or economic barriers.

To break down barriers and break the ice, I've learned to be a pretty good listener. I start my conversations with the question, "Tell me aboutyourself." That takes care of the next hour. People love to talk aboutthemselves. I just listen.

I also try to be encouraging and thankful to people. We need to tell people how we feel about them. We need to say, "I believe in you, I respect you, I appreciate you and thank you." I tell my children and staff that they can do it better than I ever did it. When people receive that kind of encouragement, they can do anything.

Try it. See everyone you meet as a child of God. Be a people person. Listenand learn. Be encouraging. You'll be fascinated by the people God created in His image. YOU CAN DO IT!

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Rich DeVos is vice-chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.