Show Personal Interest—By Good Eye Contact
1 When witnessing publicly and from house to house, we often establish eye contact with people before we begin to speak. In that brief moment, we may be able to sense from their facial expression how they feel about our presence and even what mood they are in. Likewise, they can discern much about us. One woman said this about the visit of a Witness: “What I remember about her smiling face was the peace. I was intrigued.” This opened the way for the woman to listen to the good news.
2 Establishing eye contact with others is an effective way to lead into a witness when doing street work or witnessing in other public places. One brother watches the eyes of those approaching him. When he makes eye contact, he smiles and then presents the magazines. Using this approach, he enjoys many pleasant conversations and places much literature.
3 Discern the Feelings of Others: Maintaining eye contact will help us to discern the feelings of others. For example, if someone has difficulty understanding us or disagrees with something we have said, it will usually show in his face. If he is busy or is growing impatient, we will sense it by observing his facial expression. We can then adjust or abbreviate our presentation accordingly. Being sensitive to the feelings of others is a fine way to demonstrate our personal interest in them.
4 Sincerity and Conviction: In many cultures, looking a person in the eye is viewed as evidence that one is sincere. Notice how Jesus responded when his disciples asked: “Who really can be saved?” The Bible reports: “Looking them in the face, Jesus said to them: ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matt. 19:25, 26) No doubt the conviction in Jesus’ eyes added weight to his words. In like manner, maintaining good eye contact will help us to convey the Kingdom message with sincerity and conviction.—2 Cor. 2:17; 1 Thess. 1:5.