My wife, Marilyn, once experienced a powerful, personal revelation while working as the office manager at a busy mental health clinic. One of her many responsibilities was to create and maintain a crowded schedule of counseling appointments for a cadre of mental health care professionals and their patients. This involved countless phone calls to patients reminding them of their appointments.
However, she quickly learned that the same dysfunctions that brought people to a mental health clinic often result in missed or late appointments. This impacted everyone associated with the clinic, and it tested her to the breaking point.
When she fervently prayed, “Father, please change these patients’ behavior,” she wasn’t ready for what occurred. Instead, God changed
her. He graciously gave her a mental image—He planted in her imagination a vision in which the same people who caused her frustration were not only emotionally damaged but physically disabled.
In her mind’s eye, she imagined each patient physically struggling to reach her reception window on time. She imagined an anguished woman dragging a limp leg. Others stood unable to speak, mumbling in garbled phrases. Perhaps for the first time, she looked up from her carefully orchestrated schedule and into the wounded eyes of her patients. Her bubbling volcano of frustration became a gurgling wellspring of compassion. She instinctively knew grace was required to successfully resolve these systemic problems, and it empowered her to devise strategic countermeasures to meet her patients’ inability to “always” be on time.
As a pastor, I teach from the Bible, a book handwritten by God that addresses this same conundrum… own personal brokenness. As God ministers to us, He doesn’t dwell on what is wrong, but what is right—and transforms our chaos into order.
Historically, conflict has often resulted in our most noble improvements. Regardless of how you may feel about the tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri or the firestorm it touched off, it has severely tested our nation’s mettle. I’m not about to step into the sticky discussion about who or what should have or should not have happened, but I would like to go on record as someone who is hopeful good things can come out this ugly situation.
I believe God is more concerned that we become godly people than He is concerned we become a godly nation. Formulating the best long term benefits from incendiary happenings like Ferguson is extremely difficult. It takes effort to resist the natural temptation to join the complaining herd and, instead, choose to elevate the discussion from, “Who spilled the milk?” to “How can we help clean up the mess?”
Incidences like Ferguson have the potential to become a beneficial catalyst, exposing our weaknesses and challenging us to create a sustainable environment in which, Lord willing, the milk is no longer at risk.
It may sound like I’m practicing for a beauty pageant (believe me, that ship sank long ago!). But, I do hope to elicit a gentle heart from you good readers that empowers you to become part of a compassionate solution for our troubles.
In your prayers, ask the Father to show you how He sees others—beyond their social or political views. I think you’ll find He applies the same forgiving patience to those who aggravate you as he does to those who agree with you. It’s the same loving forgiveness He applies to our personal failures as well. Jesus said—
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.” Matthew 5:43-46 The Message
Ron Grubb loves to tell life stories and apply God’s truth as he leads the Lancaster School of Ministry and pastors at Life Church, 4 miles north of Lancaster on Ohio 37. Ron welcomes your thoughts at ron@lifechurchohio.com.
