Still Learning

Had an interesting day today. Had a chance to listen to a philosophy of helping people that is so rare and so hard to understand. Yet, part of me really likes it and believes it to be what Jesus would hold if he were here (is he still here through us?) and it is something that in my heart I really want to embrace. BUT, in my head it is much different. It all boils down to a philosophy of finances. What does it mean to be fiscally responsible? I have experienced both "philosophies" in my short ministry experience thus far. At my last church I saw a philosophy that embraced helping people but only to a certain extent, at least that was the case until about the last six months I was there and some new leadership was brought in that said, "If we have the money we need to help." So, there wasn't a $2000.00 cushion like there was in the past. The logic went this way: "We can't save this for a rainy day because it is someone's rainy day today." I wholeheartedly believe in that. It's funny that at our new place of ministry that same prevailing thought exists. "If we have the money, we need to help those in need." I have so much to learn and am still so uncomfortable with some of the ways that things are done around the ministry. Yet, there is this part of me that says "Shut up Joe. You are an arrogant jerk and you don't have it all figured out." I hate being patient.