As some of you may remember 1 ½ years ago I shared some new directions in ministry that I was going to be able to be a part of. I described the new ministry directions using the proverb “Give a man a fish – he has food for a day, teach a man to fish – he has food for a lifetime.” And while yes, teaching is a lot of what the new direction might look like; it is much more. In the new ministry vision, we are seeking to challenge people to look at things differently, to have a new perspective and ultimately to have their eyes opened to Christ. To transform communities for Christ let’s take that proverb a step further “empower a man to think about fishing in new ways and his life will be changed forever” (adapted from Seeing the Forest in the Seed, A Biblical Perspective on Resources and Development).
These past weeks the Lord has been teaching me a lot about perspective in my own life and in the lives of those around me. It is so easy to get caught up in the here and now and miss the big picture. A main premise of this new Community Development direction is to help people to identify their own resources, to look at things from a different perspective and to maybe do things a little differently and see different results.
As I crossed the river on the ferry boat recently for my every 6-week shopping trip I was reminded yet again of perspective. As I wait for the boat, sometimes for hours all I can focus on is the waiting. While I sit crowded into the car tightly squished next to the other cars I cannot see very far in front of me; I have no idea where we are on the river and how much longer the journey is and sometimes the boat runs so slowly I don’t even realize we are moving! However, if I am outside the car near the rails I can see the water and a little bit of the destination. And, if I am upstairs in the open seating area I can see for miles and may even be blessed by a beautiful sunrise. And, when I am unlucky enough to have to take that small boat and be carried onto it sitting just a few feet above the waves all I can focus on is the water, the waves, the challenge and the discomfort. It is all the same river and the destination is the same, but my perspective is different.
So, join me in praying for this new ministry and for our next steps that we may follow where the Lord leads and that we may see things from a different perspective and that we may help others to see things from a different Godly perspective also and be a part of Him transforming communities for Christ.
alisondominguez-abwe.com 