I recently read an article in Forbes entitled 11 Habits of Irresistible People. It’s an interesting read, in part, because I believe most of us would agree with this list. The habits are as follows:
- Treat everyone with respect, including coworkers, family and friends, your waiter, etc.
- Treat everyone with the platinum rule, or, treat others as they want to be treated.
- Ditch the small talk, and go deeper.
- Focus on people more than anything else, and put down your phone.
- Don’t try too hard; resist the urge to brag.
- Recognize the different between fact and opinion, and don’t overemphasize your opinions.
- Be authentic
- Practice integrity
- Smile
- Make an effort to look your best, but don’t be vain.
- Find reasons to love life; be positive and passionate.
I would venture to guess that many of us struggle with these habits not because we think they won’t work but because we simply don’t think about it in the moment. How many of us have been in a situation where we were tempted to be a jerk to a waiter because someone treated us poorly earlier that day? How many of us have argued vigorously in favor of our opinion? How many of us find a reason to be on our phones in the presence of others? We probably have habits where we excel and habits where we need improvement.
Here is the good news: the Bible has something to say about each of these habits as well. This list, though it was written in a secular context, has biblical context as well. Let’s take another look at the list, but this time, let’s look at through a biblical lens:
1. Treat everyone with respect, including coworkers, family and friends, your waiter, etc.
Romans 12:10 says, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
2. Treat everyone with the platinum rule, or, treat others as they want to be treated.
Matthew 22:37-39 says, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
3. Ditch the small talk, and go deeper.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
4. Focus on people more than anything else, and put down your phone.
Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
5. Don’t try too hard; resist the urge to brag.
Jeremiah 9:23 says, “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,”
6. Recognize the different between fact and opinion, and don’t overemphasize your opinions.
James 1:19 says, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;”
7. Be authentic.
1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
8. Practice integrity.
James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
9. Smile
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.”
10. Make an effort to look your best, but don’t be vain.
1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
11. Find reasons to love life; be positive and passionate.
2 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
As Christians, we are called to be irresistible. People ought to be drawn to us because God made us holy, or set us apart from the rest of the world. Many people have a negative view of Christianity. Christians have taken on a reputation for being judgmental, exclusive, and hypocritical. Christ, through the various speakers and authors in the Bible, is calling us to a higher standard of irresistibility. Let’s consider more intentionally our actions and how we could be leading others into a relationship with Christ, thus changing the course of Christianity’s reputation. Let’s encourage one another to grow in these habits because Christ has called us to. Most important, let’s glorify God by being beacons of hope and light in and otherwise dark world.
