The People Skills of Jesus - Willian Beausay

The People Skills of Jesus - William Beausay

There are many books published today designed to help people learn more about Jesus. However, most of them are exegetical in nature – in essence, they take what the Bible has to say and translate that information into a modern setting. The People Skills of Jesus by William Beausay, II is a different type of book. The author does refer to biblical passages; however, for the majority of the book, it is as if he read the passage of Scripture, closed his eyes and imagined what Jesus did, how He did it, and how He dealt with people. From that point, Beaseay then develops principles to apply to most any relationship. His principles do not necessarily come from biblical passages, yet they do not violate any biblical passages either.

This book is not a “scholarly” work that will speak to the reader who enjoys the intricate nuances of Greek interpretation, but rather is a fresh approach to biblical material that many have heard before.

One such instance is the chapter entitled Finding the Handles. In this chapter, Beausay notes that Jesus skillfully used something that people were doing as a bridge to make a connection. He lists as examples Peter and Andrew, the fishermen, when Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” To the woman at the well, Jesus said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” Beausay concludes that finding people’s handles is no more difficult than watching what people are doing, and then taking to them about it. Be on the lookout for opportunities to bridge to others by using the events they are involved with every moment. He continues, “If they look exhausted, talk about fatigue and offer them rest. If they seem upbeat, talk about how excitement improves the atmosphere. If they are involved in a ‘scut’ project, talk about rising above nasty work. Whatever people are doing right now is a conduit for influence for communication and influence.” Again, this is not exegetical work, rather observations using a sanctified imagination.

Another chapter that caught the eye of the author of this paper was entitled, Ugly People. This chapter dealt with the issue of how people react to people who are outside a comfort zone. Again, in one of the more descriptive paragraphs in the book, Beausay describes some of the people that Jesus came into daily contact with. Using as examples beggars, lepers, corpses, and four thousand men who only occasionally bathe, he imagines the barriers that their appearance, odors, and physical disposition might offer. Beausay then translates that into modern day by challenging his readers to be like Jesus. He bridges from then to now by stating that there may not be people around us who are physically scarred, but that there are people who are socially stigmatized and forgotten. He challenges his readers to “talk to the outcasts, befriend the lonely – there are plenty around.”

Each chapter deals with another aspect of Jesus’ treatment of people. In the chapter, What’s Important, he deals with Mary, Martha, and Jesus and concludes, “What looks important often really isn’t.” In another chapter, Artfully Evasive, he deals with the way Jesus often gave evasive answers to probing questions for specific reasons. In professional relationships, he challenges his readers to keep in mind their “swots”: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Every chapter held a nugget of truth. This book artfully gives insights on relationships with people. This book is well worth reading if one is looking for insights into improving relations with people, although it might have been helpful to tie each chapter to a Proverb that would reinforce the lessons learned.