There have been many things that I’ve learned about myself, our culture of today, communication and God over the last 5 months of being in the States and doing this thing called “support raising” or “ministry partner development.” It has been a bit of a journey, some of those days were up days and some of those days were down days. Through it all, I can see that this has brought my lovely fiancée, Míša, and I closer together and moreover it has deepened our trust in God and confirmed our calling as a couple and our callings individually. Which is HUGE!
I’ll be honest it’s been a challenge. I don’t want to get into the depths of this and/or attempt to drown myself in my own “pool of self-pity,” so we’ll keep it at that – it’s been a challenge.
Recently I had a moment of clarity, as I pondered a few things — why it’s so much harder this time around, why so few people respond to the many forms of communication we have and so on. As I pondered I had a real moment with God and it got me praying. In my moment of clarity I realized, that I have two options, if Míša and I are going to hit 100% for our monthly support: 1) PUSH and be pushy or 2) PERSISTENT YET SENSITIVE. I have tried TO get in front of more and more people which means increasing the opportunities.
I’ll be honest I don’t want to be “that” guy. The guy that would be from option one. We’ve all encountered that guy, or girl, they call several times, they don’t take “no” for an answer, there’s an air of arrogance and manipulation and so on. Some days that guy is staring me in the face in every mirror I pass. When I encounter that guy in the mirror, I get a little frustrated and I’d like to punch him in the face because truthfully the line of boldness/confidence and pushiness/arrogance is razor thin.
So what is the alternative?
Well I’m choosing option two. Choosing to be persistent, but also sensitive because after all when I am interacting with someone and giving them the opportunity to partner with Míša and I, I’m not just asking for money, but I’m giving them an opportunity to make a difference with us and, in reality, I’m serving them just as much as they are potentially serving us, by partnering with us.
Some days I’ll fail but I’m choosing to be sensitively persistent; trusting God and even choosing to trust people. Because I don’t want to be “that” guy in the mirror trying to convince anyone by being pushy. I choose to be persistent but sensitive. I choose to serve and not manipulate. I choose to trust knowing that God is good God that will provide and resting in the though that Jesus himself “came not to be served, but to serve.”
trust . hope . provision