Try Learning From The One That Came In On An Ass
I have had one of those weeks. Yes, I realize it is Thursday, but even if tomorrow is great that is still 4/5 long days. Ever heard that old saying "if it weren't for back luck I would have no luck at all" ? Well, that is my slogan right now.
But I have had some interesting encounters this week. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned it, but the church that I work at has a homeless ministry. Everyday homeless people are fed in the morning and the church is a place of respite for them. There are all sorts of various things that are available to them. I have suggested that we start a choir for them. Did anyone else see the Hallmark movie The Christmas Choir? Apparently it was a true story and the choir ended up touring all over the world. I think we could do something like that. This really has nothing to do with my story, but I am just putting it out there.
So, there are always homeless people hanging around outside and what not. During our Thanksgiving Dinner for them, I became friends with one guy. I want tell you his first name but he is a rapper. He told me he is about to blow up big time and he brought me a CD so I could hear his music. It was honestly really good. This other guy is convinced I am a mechanic. The first time I met him he said "are you a mechanic?" And I said "no, why?" He said, "you look like you know how to work on a car." And I thought a moment and said, "well, I used to have this red truck that broke down all the time. I learned how to work on that truck and make it run." He said, "see, I knew you were a mechanic."
I have to stop right here and say something. I am a lawyer. I have no training in psychology and counseling. When I interact and talk with the homeless, or people down on their luck, or whatever politically correct term you want to use, I speak and act just the same way that I want people to treat me. I just talk with them as if we were meeting anywhere else. It isn't that I am not aware of their situation, but the people who have gone through seminary or counseling classes always ask "how does this make you feel?" At first this made me laugh. I mean what kind of question is that? But then I realized this is their transition into counseling. For me it is just more natural to treat them like regular old people. This may not be the most "politically correct" thing either. But I hope they walk away from our conversation and feel like a real person, an equal in an equal conversation. I could have chosen not to discuss this for fear of being blasted by some reader out there. But it is what I deal with on a daily basis and this is my "authentic" way to deal with it. And I keep thinking - if that were me, I would want to be spoken to like anyone else.
Yesterday as I was walking into church one of the guys was sitting outside on the bench reading his Bible. He asked me where in Joshua that he could find a certain passage. I said "ahhhh I am going to have to look that up for you." So I went to my office and looked it up. Have you ever had that feeling before? You know where something is in the Bible, but you just can't remember where it is located? That happens to me all the time. I always call Granny because she knows where things in the Bible are. Anyway, I went back outside and told him where the passage was located. We had a long talk, and he told me some very thought provoking things.
We first discussed how hard it is to trust God. And I told him "sometimes I have a really hard time trusting God, and especially God's timing." Quite honestly, this is the truth. But he said, "it should be easy. We should easily trust God and his timing. And we have to trust God - we have no choice but too." How absolutely true is that statement? As believers, Christians, lovers of God, we have to trust him. I told him I really appreciated his insight. He said "hey, I am just a nobody, telling everybody, about the somebody, that can save anybody." (Apparently that is an old song)
Then he told me his theology on the devil. It was quite interesting. Finally he said, "Jesus didn't come in on no Tennessee Walker, he came in on an ass." I have laughed about this for two days now. And what made it really funny is that the choir is singing "Ride On, King Jesus" in a couple of weeks. How funny is that? But after thinking about it for a while, I think he has a real message. For all you people who only speak, interact, and think you are only good enough to truly relate to people on Tennessee Walkers - you should keep this in mind. Never underestimate all the blessings from those who "come in on" mere asses.
But I have had some interesting encounters this week. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned it, but the church that I work at has a homeless ministry. Everyday homeless people are fed in the morning and the church is a place of respite for them. There are all sorts of various things that are available to them. I have suggested that we start a choir for them. Did anyone else see the Hallmark movie The Christmas Choir? Apparently it was a true story and the choir ended up touring all over the world. I think we could do something like that. This really has nothing to do with my story, but I am just putting it out there.
So, there are always homeless people hanging around outside and what not. During our Thanksgiving Dinner for them, I became friends with one guy. I want tell you his first name but he is a rapper. He told me he is about to blow up big time and he brought me a CD so I could hear his music. It was honestly really good. This other guy is convinced I am a mechanic. The first time I met him he said "are you a mechanic?" And I said "no, why?" He said, "you look like you know how to work on a car." And I thought a moment and said, "well, I used to have this red truck that broke down all the time. I learned how to work on that truck and make it run." He said, "see, I knew you were a mechanic."
I have to stop right here and say something. I am a lawyer. I have no training in psychology and counseling. When I interact and talk with the homeless, or people down on their luck, or whatever politically correct term you want to use, I speak and act just the same way that I want people to treat me. I just talk with them as if we were meeting anywhere else. It isn't that I am not aware of their situation, but the people who have gone through seminary or counseling classes always ask "how does this make you feel?" At first this made me laugh. I mean what kind of question is that? But then I realized this is their transition into counseling. For me it is just more natural to treat them like regular old people. This may not be the most "politically correct" thing either. But I hope they walk away from our conversation and feel like a real person, an equal in an equal conversation. I could have chosen not to discuss this for fear of being blasted by some reader out there. But it is what I deal with on a daily basis and this is my "authentic" way to deal with it. And I keep thinking - if that were me, I would want to be spoken to like anyone else.
Yesterday as I was walking into church one of the guys was sitting outside on the bench reading his Bible. He asked me where in Joshua that he could find a certain passage. I said "ahhhh I am going to have to look that up for you." So I went to my office and looked it up. Have you ever had that feeling before? You know where something is in the Bible, but you just can't remember where it is located? That happens to me all the time. I always call Granny because she knows where things in the Bible are. Anyway, I went back outside and told him where the passage was located. We had a long talk, and he told me some very thought provoking things.
We first discussed how hard it is to trust God. And I told him "sometimes I have a really hard time trusting God, and especially God's timing." Quite honestly, this is the truth. But he said, "it should be easy. We should easily trust God and his timing. And we have to trust God - we have no choice but too." How absolutely true is that statement? As believers, Christians, lovers of God, we have to trust him. I told him I really appreciated his insight. He said "hey, I am just a nobody, telling everybody, about the somebody, that can save anybody." (Apparently that is an old song)
Then he told me his theology on the devil. It was quite interesting. Finally he said, "Jesus didn't come in on no Tennessee Walker, he came in on an ass." I have laughed about this for two days now. And what made it really funny is that the choir is singing "Ride On, King Jesus" in a couple of weeks. How funny is that? But after thinking about it for a while, I think he has a real message. For all you people who only speak, interact, and think you are only good enough to truly relate to people on Tennessee Walkers - you should keep this in mind. Never underestimate all the blessings from those who "come in on" mere asses.
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