NewCity - Barrio Nuevo Life

It is always interesting to see how many of us live by numbers. Whether that's the amount of $$ in my wallet, my savings, how big of a car I drive or the number of bedrooms in my house. I know that as a pastor or director of a non-profit that it is easy to look at how many attend an event as a sign of success or failure. We will have a painting blitz in a couple of weeks that will see 5 houses painted and almost a 100 volunteers show up. This will end up being not much more work then just painting a house with 25 volunteers.

So why is it so important that we have to compare and contrast numbers as a sign of success whether that is in the business world, my home or the church? I know that my ego is definitely in the front row seat too often and how I value what I do is based upon the human notion of success. The reality is that numbers don't really mean a whole lot. Last night we had a small turn out for tutoring because of weird weather, a bunch of tutors being out of town and kids/teens that are in trouble or in a 'funk' because of life circumstances. Assessing last night what stood out was that a couple of my teens that are problem 'childs' were able to sit for 45 minutes and actually accomplish something. There wasn't any drama or fight to end the session as there was last week with 10 more students and a few more tutors.

How does the kingdom work? How does any venture work? Isn't it by seeing one life changed at a time. I know at our monthly BBQ I was jazzed to see one of our new grandmas come with her 90 year old mother. The great grandma was honest in saying that she was afraid to come because she didn't know anyone. I know that my good friend Pastor Pablo was bummed because no one from his group came. Yet, I was thrilled that he came and has a commitment to help the process of growing the kingdom in S. Phoenix.

I think it is interesting that Jesus himself would walk away from the flock of 100 to look for the one that was lost. I know that in today's economic climate we would say it is better to cut your loses and let the one lost sheep go and focus on the 99. Yet, I know that God wants me to be more willing to go after the lost sheep, which in my case are teens and adults who have real life issues that make it almost impossible to live. The amount of time and energy it takes to help an at risk youth or party animal parent is difficult to describe. It is an emotional roller coaster that only God can give you the patience and perseverance to stay focused and not lose it and just walk away.

So today I took an older friend to the VA Hospital to get some help. I hadn't seen Claude in a few months and I was taken back by his looking like a hunched over old man. I know he lives in lots of pain which I at time laugh at or minimize. So now I do appreciate the pain he suffers each day which in many ways is a by product of his serving his country in Vietnam. So the quandary we face is that in one sense numbers do matter, like if I am going to pay a bill there had better be funds in my account before I make the transaction or in another sense the person who shows up to an event is more important than worrying about the person that didn't show up.

I am glad that Jesus the great shepherd of my soul has left the 99 to look for me and bring me back into the flock.