Sometimes I’m surprised by the dumb things people say. Sometimes those things come out of my mouth.
This woman came to see me because she had to do community service for the court system. I asked her what her crime was and she told me “prostitution.” Because I wanted to figure out what we could have her do around the church, before I could stop myself I found myself asking her “so, what are you good at?” Her reply: “I’m really good with people.”
We put her to work providing hospitality to people who came to the building. And she was really good at it!
Mike Mather
I love the way Mike tells stories – particularly when they help drive a point home with listeners. I wish I had 20% of his long-term memory and recall of details. But, I digress…
Mike gets some great questions. And some surprisingly dumb ones. But he generally finds a way to bring the story back around…
I love when he tells this story. Because it’s my story. But more importantly, it demonstrates in action how people I’ve come to call “neighbors” practice seeing people for who they really are – behind the stereotypes, labels and preconceptions we might put on those same people.
“Everybody has gift, yea sure. But what do you do with people who are mentally ill or who are drug addicted?”
Question from a visitor to Broadway
To hear the surprising response, I invite you to listen to Mike’s message. The juicy relevant pieces are in the beginning 4:33 minutes…
I probably would have lost my identity struggle with addiction as well as my identity as a contributing member of society had it not been for the simple acts of compassion I was shown – the friendships, the walks around the neighborhood talking, the new lens through which I’ve started to see myself and the world around me…
For that, I’m humbled and grateful. Thank you Mike, Rachel, Cathy, Karen, Kathy, Mike, Ann, Seana, Fran, Scott, Diane, Amy, MaryAnn, Cindy, Scott, Bill, Sue Ann, Mike, Mark, Chris, Holly, De’Amon, Terri, Greg, John, Sandya and many others…
The Magical Storybook of Professor Peacock 