OUTREACH, HUNGER
“For God satisfies the thirsty, and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9
I could feel myself getting frustrated.
“Why won’t they stop talking about the little things and get to something important?” I thought.
As the Executive Director of The Open Door food pantry, I was sitting and talking with a few residents of a senior living facility who had agreed to share their thoughts on our Mobile Food program that brought fresh and healthy food to their building once each month. I was grateful for their time, but the feedback I was hearing was not what I wanted them to share with me. I wanted them to tell me something deeper, something impactful, something dynamic, something substantial. I wanted a breakthrough … a big idea, I wanted...I wanted….I...
Sometimes, in the slightest of moments, I leave a little gap in my thoughts and God takes advantage of the pause and inserts themself. On this day, for a split second, God took the time to interrupt my flood of impatient thoughts and helped play them back for me so I could hear myself. I was there to listen, but I was not listening. Not really. I was sifting through what my clients were saying, searching for what I wanted, but not truly listening. It was all about me and my perspective of what I thought they wanted and needed, and ultimately, I was worried I was not going to get what I wanted.
With God’s help, I caught myself and remembered to be present. I remembered I was there to learn, not to fill in a blank or complete a task. As I let go of myself, my agenda, and what I thought I already knew, I listened. I relaxed. I empathized. And I was able to learn a great deal from the residents. In the process of being present and open to going where they took me, I not only learned more about them as individuals, but I also actually stumbled on to something seemingly simple at first that became truly dynamic. What I learned that day has led to a significant change in the way our Mobile Food program serves our senior clientele, and I almost missed it.
I wish I could tell you that was the last time I was so focused on what I wanted, that I almost missed what I needed to learn from another human, or a situation, or God. I don’t do it nearly often enough, but when I take time to be truly present and ask myself “What does God want from me in this moment” or “where is God in this,” I find that my approach shifts, sometimes just a little bit, but it almost always ends up in a better place.
The Open Door seeks to understand how best to serve the needs of our community. Often, it’s through open communication and careful, intentional listening that what we learn how to improve our programs and services. Sometimes our perspective of what people need and want or what we thought was the best way to serve them is a little off target. By being open and willing to learn from our clients, we are able to more effectively live out our mission and make a bigger impact on our community.
Dear God, please give me a thirst for you and not for myself. Help me trust in you and know that you will faithfully provide what I am truly hungry for. Be present in my thoughts today and help me be present in the situations in which you place me today. Amen