Newtorking

As we are driving around last night dropping off our kids after tutoring one of my teens asks me how I network. This sophomore is interested in getting a job and wants me to help her get that first job. The only challenge is that this teen isn’t someone who would be hired quickly. My special friend has CP, which means she walks with a little bit of a limp, one of her hands is barely able to pick up her purse and because of her life circumstances she has developed a protective shell. This translates into a big attitude and a loud mouth. Yet, in spite of what I just said I do believe that my teen deserves an opportunity to learn about working and being responsible.

I know that I have been incredibly blessed to have lots of friends and that continues to bring more opportunities to help and love on my neighborhood. I got an e-mail yesterday from someone I don’t know that would love to come to Phoenix and help with doing our community work at New City. I don’t know this young man and his wife from ‘Adam’. Yet, he knows someone who knows about me and is willing to have put a ‘good’ word in for me. I am preparing for another large painting project in a few weeks and am blessed to have a couple of new supervisors that I didn’t know a few weeks ago. I have a new good friend through another great partner who is going to ‘dive’ in and make a real difference with his family and church.

I had another family in crisis that needed a frig and a dryer after theirs just died. It was only minutes after e-mailing a few people that I get this e-mail and we are on our way to pick up used dryer and frig. So as I am thinking about my teen friend who has so many challenges in her life how is it ever going to be possible for her to get a job and then be able to keep it? She has done really well to stay in school, try hard and is passing her classes. She hasn’t gotten expelled or kicked out because of her loud attitude. I know that other teens in our group who are more in the mainstream will get a job and finish school and have a future that will be relatively easy. This teen on the other hand will need help to get into the job market and be able to stay.

My real point in this blog is to say that Jesus gives the best example of being a networking and a neighborhood type of guy. It is the Father who chose to send Jesus as one of us into our neighborhood. (Thanks to Eugene Peterson’s translation or para-phrase of John 1:14.) I like the fact that God had his son live a rather normal mundane life as a poor carpenter with his family business for 20 years before going out to be the Gospel, even though he obviously lived this as a carpenter.

I know that relationships are the key to neighborhood and personal transformation. It is exciting to see God connect the dots with new people who have the leadership and gift mix which enables the work we do to continue in some amazing ways. I am totally spoiled to have so many great friends who are catching the vision of living out the gospel through doing community work. My heart breaks for my teen friend who doesn’t have the same potential because of physical limitations.

As I finish this blog and my Starbucks I will drive to a friend’s parent’s house to borrow a power washer that will help with this weekend’s painting project. I have known this one friend for the last 5 years as we have done a Men’s Study at Lunch at her restaurant. As we were finishing up on Tuesday someone piped up and asked if I had found a power washer and I said not yet. So my friend quickly volunteered her dad’s power washer. She calls yesterday and then texts his address to make it easy to pickup this morning. Again, the power of networking and making friends is incredible.

I am so thankful that God chose to be the ultimate networker with His Son who He sends to our neighborhood to connect with us and show us what it means to be a living, breathing and walking example of the gospel.