A miserable failure

Two posts in one night?
Well, the previous one actually was from my jotter last week, almost word for word.
But it got me thinking a bit more, that as many of these insights are where things have become fairly clear in my mind (at least), I felt I should post one where I haven't got the answer or even the first clue at the moment.

And it goes like this - after all that I've just said about serving, how do I apply the same principles to a work situation when I'm dealing with a person that speaks their mind, is far from encouraging and can often make quite personal comments to a wide audience on email.

You know the sort of person. Sometimes described as the "extra grace required" person.

The best I could muster today was to prune the sarcasm out of the first draft of my reply.

But, I still felt I'd got it wrong. A bit of a fraud when I'd just advised someone not to take a similar comment personally.

Answers from the jotter when they arrive.

And after all that....more.

As I stand there by the lightswitch, running through the lock-up checklist in my head, I'm thinking "why am I always the last to leave? Why is it that I am left with all those last little clearing-up jobs after everyone else has gone home?"
Well, in some ways, it's obvious - someone has to... but why me?

You see, I've been asking God for a while now to show me when the right time to move on should be (in many aspects). The answer seems quite clear at the moment. "Just you stay put - I've got plenty for you to do right where you are."

I guess when I know many around me who are experiencing change, what I'm being called to be is the thing that doesn't change - the familiar old bit of furniture that is always there. This seems especially pertinent for our new students who need something they can think of as "back home" which they have moved on from and becoming maybe a trusted ear or a sounding board for the new things.

I'm reminded of a simple verse in Mark 6, the second part of verse 45.
Jesus has just fed the 5000 - no small task especially seeing as that was the head count of only the men. So lets call it 10-12,000. He sends off the disciples and then stays until he's sent the crowds away.

Now, I know how long it takes to see off 30 young people at the end of an evening - one's lost his coat, another has ended up with someone else's phone, someone's mother got the time wrong and still another parent has fallen asleep and isn't answering the phone....ages.

So this verse says to me "I'm here for you, as long as it takes."
That's a real example of service to us all, especially after the catering event of all time.

And that's what I think he's saying to me.
"You're there to serve - as long as it takes. Stay where you are, you will be the last to leave."

And so, here I am. If you're done here, off you go, I want to switch the lights off.

What's that? You can't find your coat?