What I've Learned - Part 3: I Need to Marinate

This is part three of 3 parts of a message that I gave in Clarksburg. This is a "semi-Transcript" so if you were there you may remember a lot of it - or maybe not :)

3) What I Have Learned About Myself:
I think I have all the answers. I don’t. I need to Marinate.

When Shannon and I got to Costa Rica and found Alternative Missions and saw all the great ministry they were doing we wanted to get to work right away. The Director said, “don’t make any commitments.” We saw the Skate park and 40 kids taking turns skating, We attended the youth night and I wanted to share my vast amount of experience in American, upper middle class youth ministry, our Director told us to hold on and wait. We attend our first house church and got so excited afterwards I thought, why aren’t we starting a new one? – The director told me to wait, watch and learn.”

I came in trying to give answers and solutions. My natural tendency is to look at any situation or product and ask the question, “How do we make this better?” After a few weeks of that the director actually had to sit me down and help me understand that there is a lot more at work than what I see.

After an embarrassing first month of pushing and pushing, I finally understood that I had to learn a lot more than what I saw in front of me. I learned of the need for more staff and if we start something with out prepared staff we can loose integrity in the community, exactly what other mission organizations have done in that area. I learned that there is a lot more happening than what I notice at first and I need to wait it out.

WHAT AM I LEARNING THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE:
I need to wait and listen a little more, I don't know it all.

Here are some proverbs:
- 18:13, “He who answers before listening, that is his folly and his shame”
- 19:19, “Listen to advise and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise”

Sharing The Experience,
Phil