Waiting

Waiting.  Not a natural inclination of mine, but a practice of great value.  I’m learning that God actually is smarter and more capable of planning than I am.  As I have been trying to “figure some things out” here in my ministry context God has spoken and said, “Wait.”  So that is what I intend to do.

As I wait, deadlines are getting closer.  People want answers.  People want permission.  People want me to plan.  That is, after all, what I usually do.  But I must wait lest I find myself being disobedient and not in the center of God’s will.

As I wait, pieces are coming together; pieces that required no energy, no emotional investment and no planning on my part.  Truth be told, the pieces are even better than the ones I would have fashioned.  Perhaps the psalmist had it right when he said, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:7)

Compliments are Free

My lesson for the day is that compliments cost me nothing and pay huge returns. Call it filling up someone’s bucket (Tom Rath), filling up someone’s love tank (Gary Chapman), or making deposits in people’s emotional bank accounts (Stephen Covey) it’s just plain good sense to do it!  It can be done quickly as someone pointed out to me.  She practices “drive by compliments.”  As you pass people – at work, in the house, at the grocery store – pay them a sincere compliment.

Don’t Give Up

John and his wife used to be a pastoral couple.  They left the Catholic church and became Protestant pastors.  After a car accident they found themselves quickly sinking down in debt.  They left the ministry, are out of work, have no money and are ready to call it quits.  John’s wife has turned her back on God and encourages John to do the same thing.  Their story sounds a lot like Job’s story.  They’re asking the same question as Job, too, “Why?”

We may never know why.  What I know is that we have a food pantry that can keep food in their bellies.  We have people with generous hearts who can pray and give.  John needed help to keep his electric on.  On Sunday I told him to pray and come see me on Wednesday.  He needed $102 and when he stopped by on Wednesday someone had dropped off $100 for him.  I kicked in the extra $2.  Maybe God isn’t done with John.  At least that is how John felt when he left my office.  I’m curious to see how God works in this couple’s lives.

Why?

This lesson is so simple and so straightforward, and yet it is the one I fail at the most – “Apart from me you can do nothing.”  I know it.  I preach it.  But certainly don’t practice it much.  The lesson is learn to abide in Jesus Christ, at all times.

Having Fun

Joy (I’ll call her that since she brings joy the community) showed up about six months ago.  She asked for a verse to “work on” so I gave her Philippians 2:1-4.  The next week she had several pages of color coded exegetical work that was quite impressive.  She asked for another verse.  She now asks others for verses and continues to apply herself to the study of God’s word.

A few weeks ago she wanted to know if we ever did anything fun.  I told her to fell free to organize something and have at it.  So, trying to figure out how to have fun, be faithful and stay away from her old destructive habits (alcohol) she came up with a plan.  She listed her resources: a bar-b-q grill, hotdogs, and a brother in Christ who had 180 pairs of socks (an OCD thing).  So, they took the socks, the grill and the hotdogs down to the park and distributed them.  She wanted to have fun so they set out to feed the hungry and cloth the naked.  How awesome is that?!

Is there hope?

Joe (his name has been changed) has been part of our community for the last three-and-a-half years.  He comes almost every Sunday, probably four out five.  He has brought more guests than anyone else has, too.  He also has a perfect record of showing up drunk.  Vodka is his poison of choice.

We have had lots of conversations and as far as I can tell he believes he is the way he is because it is God’s will.  He usually asks me for prayer and a cross necklace.  He believes that as long as he has a cross on he will be saved.  As of late I’ve been a little discouraged by Joe’s lack of growth.  I recall the words of William Willimon who said to a young pastor, “Find yourself a group of drunks and minister to them; they will remind you that no amount of self-help psychology will get them out of the darkness they’re in – they need Jesus Christ and real conversion.”

Well, last Sunday was different.  Someone took a picture of Joe and he asked why.  I told him that we were going to take pictures all throughout the year so we can have a year-end slide show.  Then I told him that my hope for him was that he would look back at the end of the year and ask, “Who is that guy?”  I think something happened.

About 15 minutes later he came over to me with tears in his eyes (something I haven’t seen before) and asked in a shaky voice, “So what do I need to do?”  I lovingly told him that drunkards don’t enter the kingdom of heaven and that Jesus wanted him to enter.  He agreed to talk with Jesus this week and ask, “What do want to take from my life?”  I agreed to pray for him.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if Joe were a new creation at the end of 2010?