I used to joke that a school would be a great place to work if it weren’t for all those pesky kids.
Same thing’s true of serving in communities—it would be easy, if it weren’t for all those messed-up people. The problem is that God seems to like using messed-up people to accomplish His work.
Or perhaps that’s the only kind of people He has to choose from.
I’ll confess that lately I’ve been a bit frustrated. No need for details, but I’m clearly looking through a different set of lenses than some folks I want to support. No matter what I try, it seems I encounter a taller, thicker brick wall.
Ever been there?
Here’s some of what I’m trying. Can’t say it’s successful, at least in terms of breaching barriers or reducing frustration levels.
Note to self: It’s not about me! I know what I want to accomplish, but perhaps my goals aren’t others’ goals…or God’s goals.
Talk to God about things like patience, grace, and a bigger perspective.
Check my attitude to make sure this isn’t about me wanting to sit with the popular kids.
Note #2 to self: I’m one of the messed-up people that makes working together so difficult.
BTW—in case you’re wondering if I’ve tried direct communication with the people involved, of course I have. So far, there are several indentations in those brick walls that match the curvature of my bald head.
I’m not seeking magic answers. In fact, the whole point of this post is that there aren’t any of those.
The point is that working in communities is hard, and we need to be prepared for that.
Unless…we find a community without all those messed-up people, like you and me.
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