Jess and I once spent our anniversary with a homeless guy. Now, don't think we were trying to be über Christian...it was completely by accident...
We had tickets to the High Museum of Art for some sort of hoity-toity, artsy, dress-up and eat fancy cheese-type of event. We put High Museum of Art into the GPS and when it told us "You have arrived at your destination, on...the...right", there was no High Museum there. We parked and walked to where the GPS said it should be and looked around downtown ATL. It was no where to be found. One of the horse carriage guys pulled up next to us. We asked him if he knew where it was and in a bout of half-hearted (and completely clueless) courage pointed us in the direction of a homeless man across the street and said, "He can help you."
He came over to us and said that he knew where it was and to follow him. Now, let me pause for a second. When you are going to an art museum to eat fancy cheese, you are pretty dressed up. And as a homeless guy is walking me around downtown ATL, I am thinking that we are probably walking right to a band of homeless thugs who are going to jump me and take the wallet of a guy wearing a suit (to be sorely disappointed when they find out I'm a missionary, and thus, am broke. The tickets were free and the suit was a gift, haha!) Back to the story: He leads us for about half a mile. We talk about Jesus (he is really involved in a ministry for the homeless in ATL). He talks about life on the streets. He talks about how 'this ministry comes here and gives food out on this day' and 'that ministry sets up free food there on that day', and without these ministries so many people would be starving. He then realizes that we are going in the wrong direction...
We turn around and walk about a mile in another direction, only to find out that he had no clue where the High Museum was. He asked someone in the barbershop, they didn't know. At this point, I assumed it was no where near where we were so we started the long journey back to our car. We talk about God and ministry and life and blessing the entire time. It was wonderful.
I think ministry looks a lot like this. Often times I feel completely clueless where I am going and change my direction often...but I would much rather be the guy walking around clueless with people and talking about God, than the guy that just points people in a direction. I read this from my devotion book this morning:
A true leader influences others spiritually only because the Spirit works in and through him to a greater degree than in those he leads. We can lead others only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled. Merely pointing the way is not enough. If we are not walking, then no one can be following, and we are not leading anyone.
Oh, and we found out when we got back in the car and re-GPS'd the High Museum, it was literally 8 miles from where we were...we didn't go. We had already "arrived at our destination" that night. We were suppose to forget about fancy clothes and fancy cheese and fancy art and walk around downtown ATL with a homeless guy, talking about Jesus, and learning a whole heck-of-a-lot about leading. From a "take these people to the proper location quickly" standpoint, my friend failed miserably. But, the Spirit of God was working through him to teach me a life-lesson I will never forget, so in this regard, he was supremely successful.
On this trip we are leaving for in just 5 days, we may be completely clueless at times, but we will be walking with those in Berlin. Are you content with just pointing people towards Jesus (or towards someone else that is leading), or do you want to lead people to Him? It's time to start walking. Pointing is easy. Leading will not be.
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