Pivot People ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “Get People to Jesus” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 11/14-15/09,

Message #MB396; Daily Devotional #1 - “Pivot People”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:38-42a) Andrew was so excited about the prospect of following Jesus that he had to go and tell his brother. Throughout my life there have been, what I like to call “Pivot People,” those who help me turn from one direction to another. My favorite subject in middle school was math. I always had great grades and thrived in the subject. When I was a freshman in high school, I took a class that was conceived by the most demented of people – Algebra! Really, who decided to combine math with the alphabet? It is twisted. Needless to say, I nearly failed. My report cards went C, D, D, and F. I hated math. I struggled over the next two years with math. My grades suffered because of it. Enter a Pivot Person: Mr. Roy Dye, a slow speaking, Texas A & M alumni, who taught Algebra Two. I dreaded the thought of going back into the darkness that is Algebra, but it was a required class. Something happened during that class. He took time to instruct and work with me whenever I struggled. He singlehandedly changed me and my direction in school. He was a ‘Pivot Person.”

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul was a Pivot Person. He lived his life in such a way as to cause people to follow him. If he had been a self-centered, religious person, then he could have made himself very rich. Instead, his goal was to bring people to Christ. When I was 23, I was anything but walking with Christ. I was consumed by selfish thoughts and actions. Lust, greed, you name it and I was focused on it. Enter a Pivot Person. Pastor Jorge Acevedo was a young pastor of my brother’s church. I hadn’t been to church in six or seven years, so the thought of going really wasn’t high on my list of things to do. Fortunately, it was high on God’s list for me. I met this young pastor – I had never met anyone young and committed to Christ! Over the next three years of spending time with him my life changed. He made me jealous. Not jealous in a bad way. I was spiritually jealous. He had this power and presence that I had never known, and I wanted that. Jorge spent hour upon hour with me, teaching the Scriptures, answering questions, and being my friend. He changed the way I wanted to live. Pivot Person.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:7-10) Paul was willing to do anything if it meant that one person would come to know the Savior. I have to ask myself, “What am I doing to be a Pivot Person?” There are many people I touch every day, and I fear that they will not even change direction in the least way because of their experiences with me. How about you? Are you doing anything that will eternally affect the people around you? You may be someone’s Mr. Dye, or Pastor Jorge! That’s what I want to be. I will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, change people and aim them to the throne of grace! Enter me, a Pivot Person.

Cultivating (Additional Reading): 1 Corinthians 9:19-23