Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Persistance is a good or bad trait?


If you were to interview the different interns that have worked with me all of them would say that Dave is really persistent. Once he connected with me he didn’t stop pushing or asking until I got involved. It is no different with my key leaders who first were volunteers that came to a single event such as a painting project. I can remember my first couple of painting projects that were outside our target area. When you look at the pictures there are a handful that have become my key leaders over the last 5 years.

I know that Jesus did respond to people that were persistent in bugging him. I can think of a parable about someone knocking at a neighbor’s door at midnight. They needed some food. If this had been me I would have turned over and gone back to sleep. Yet, because they were a friend and also didn’t stop they got what they needed and the friend stepped up to help. I also remember a real story of a non-Jewish lady asking for help from Jesus for her and her son. Jesus was slow to respond but her persistence and wit got Jesus’ attention and she got the crumbs from the table or floor.

So as I write about a couple of my New City friends, both kids, teens and adults, I shouldn’t be surprised that they follow my example, which is Jesus’ example. Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day, which I really didn’t want to do, with someone at the Social Security Office. I have had only ‘bad’ experiences in this office where they mess up one of my teen’s SSI. Yesterday was different so I am jazzed that he has his funding stream turned back on. While we were in the middle of doing this I started to get a call from one of my teens, which wanted me to deliver some food. I have asked this individual not to do this but eat what is in the house. I have tried to explain that I’m not the pizza delivery guy or his personal grocery shopper. Yet, he calls because he knows I care and sometimes I am a push over.

We take my dad out for a drive to get him out of his house. I still continue to get calls from this teen now up to call number 8. I don’t have time to respond but he knows that I’m busy and that he could defrost something in his frig and actually eat it. After a busy weekend I decide to take my Anne out for some Chinese. It was great just sitting and enjoying some great food and conversation. One of my friends, who works at Fresh and Easy, is out with her family. She is a very cheery person who has two little kids. She is from Vietnam and has different tastes than me so I’m not surprised to see, a plate full of crawdads that she explains are her kid’s favorite at the buffet.

As we are enjoying watching these little kids eat their crawdads I continue to get calls from my starving teen. I’m a little annoyed at this point. I’ve explained to him that when I’m finished that I will call and get him something. I wanted a peaceful evening with my Anne with no calls. Yet, our daughter calls with a panicked cry for help. She is having a new block wall put up and the neighbor isn’t cooperating and doesn’t want them to do it. So I enjoy talking and giving some practical tips on what to do. My contractor friend I know will help solve the problem with the help of the city. Yet, during this important conversation my teen continues to call.

We finish eating and watching our friend’s kids eat their crawdads and are ready to go home. So I ask my Anne what to do with this one teen that has called over 10 times about food and another teen that is homeless and needs a place to stay tonight. We do a quick drive by at Little Caesar’s and drop off the pizza and I give my usual spiel about stop calling so often and look in the frig for some food, talk to your mom and then the request for him to do work to pay off the food drop.

It is tough because at times people who have real needs are too embarrassed to ask for help and someone who doesn’t have a real need but a want can be really annoying. I have a good friend whose mom just died and is in the middle of a family feud where she is the target. I try to respond to her cries for help quickly. I do say often that the early bird catches the worm and if you snooze you lose.  So yes, persistence should be part of your life. Yet, please don’t call me 10 times about the same thing. 

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