Being Flexible

There are times that all of this road construction gets really frustrating. They are replacing culverts, which is great. The problem lies in not knowing when they are working at any specific spot along the way. On Monday, I was able to drive to within visual sight of the church but ended up having to drive an extra 3-4 miles to get around it because I had to drive a different route. More recently, I drove to church on my normal route, slowing down for where the construction was. On the way home, I had to back track and find another way as they dug up some of the road again. Right now, I’m never sure what road to take to get there and whether I can use that same way home. I just have to be willing to adjust to something different than I had originally planned. It is good to be prepared. It is good to know the options. It is good to be willing to adjust if circumstances change. If you didn’t guess, I am not just talking about road construction anymore. I have heard people that want to have a conversation with family or friends about faith... about their behavior... about responsibilities. I think it is good to be prepared and to consider what you want to say and what you want to avoid. They write it down on a piece of paper to outline how things are going to go. The problem is that conversations rarely follow the exact path that we think they will take. When something unexpected comes up or there is a detour that we were not expecting, we can be left uncertain of of what we should do next. That’s where flexibility comes in. It is good to understand what is at stake, but we can’t control what is in someone’s heart. If we control the feelings, we will find no true answers. Ask yourself first, “What is the issue that needs to be addressed?” Make sure you understand it well enough for a conversation, not to win. Pray as you seek the answer, and for God to prepare you for the task at hand. Second, have that conversation without raising your voice. If you need to raise your voice, they weren’t listening in the first place. Make sure you are willing to listen and not just speak. People can sense and respond better to sincerity. Be flexible enough to adjust your approach based on what is discussed. Father, there are so many people that we should share our faith and other things with. Give us the words to speak and ears to hear. Amen