A vital principle of discipleship emerges at this point: do not recruit people for anything without first allowing them to have their curiosity assuaged. Jesus was not afraid to reveal the small print in the contract. We get the distinct impression from this passage that Jesus desired to make it easy to say no. He did not employ the misguided habit of twentieth-century Christendom of “quick-pitching” people into commitments. When this hasty method is utilized, the recruit normally takes off like a rocket, only to fall back later to the earth like a rock. After such a misfire, restoration is nearly impossible, a very messy business. We must not be intimidating when we invite others to take a look at the Master. Indeed, at the outset Jesus himself launched his plan to rescue planet earth with the simple invitation to come and see.

… As we seek to reach others, we must kep in mind that Jesus did not use manipulation or intimidation as a recruiting method. He allowed God’s Holy Spirit to prepare the heart. Indeed, the Spirit utilized John’s ministry to prepare certain men for the Messiah. Jesus himself never used high pressure or arm-twisting tecniques. He trly made it easy for people to say no.

… Part of the problem is that we have manipulated and touchd peple only on the emotional level, thus limiting the long-term commitmens needed to effectively change minds. If only we could take a simple lesson from Jesus–we might not gather suh impressive statistics, but in the long run we would garner more solid choices by people moved by the Spirit.

Bill Hull, Jesus Christ Disciple Maker, (Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1984), 19, 22, 23.