Placement reflection #2

by i.burgess on October 15, 2009

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

Luke 11:11-13

Useless, it’s all useless. A pointless waste of my evening. The kids don’t like me, I can’t impact their lives – they need more than I could possibly give them. I’ll equipped and under prepared.

Is it ok to be wrong?

Today I can praise God who gives the Holy Spirit. Last night placement was very different. Or was I different? In either case the change is good.

In my gut there was an excitement to see the kids, listen to them and indeed love them. Humanly I can’t explain how this has occurred but Jesus said that God will give the Spirit if we ask, and I can thank God that his Spirit was present because I experienced the transformation it brings.

All I did was stand with some teenage lads on a street corner near a corner shop for 2 hours, and yet I couldn’t dream of being anywhere else. I found it easy to love the kids, to share lives with them for a bit, to be vulnerable with them and show them, me.

This was unexpected, since my placement has caused me days of angst and frustration. I cried out to God from that, and he listened. I was honest and he responded.

God is good, kind and gives himself, in the Spirit, for the sake of his mission and for the blessing of all people. It seems the difference last night was because the Spirit was amongst us. I’m not going to suggest that I was exceptionally kind, patient or loving. Rather amongst us there was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Even in the hearts of those who didn’t believe in God.

Thanks and praise be to God who gives the Holy Spirit
Amen

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