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Learning to ask!
Kristina Cooper writes about her struggles in this
area
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Sometimes she got a positive response but at other times she was refused and sometimes, fed up, no doubt, by unsolicited calls, people were quite rude. I just couldn't have done what she did. "I do it for Jesus," she said. "If they say no, that's their problem. I believe in Goodnews." And that's what made her such a good salesperson for Goodnews, she believed in it and was prepared to put up with a certain amount of rejection to spread it. The difficulty with asking - begging - is that you are not in control. You have put yourself in the power of the other. It is the most extreme form of poverty and most of us avoid it. I realise another reason why I am so apprehensive at asking others, is because of my own response when I am asked for money or favours myself. Although I can be quite generous in giving when it is my own initiative, I'm afraid my heart does not exactly delight when I see yet another charity can rattled in my path or another fervent pitch for funds. I usually feel cornered and manipulated instead of seeing it as an opportunity that God is giving me to share the resources he has given me. It is true that nowadays fund raising has become a veritable industry with hundreds of charities vying for our pockets and our hearts. It can seem that if we give to them all we will surely be beggared. But I was reflecting recently that maybe it's not a coincidence that as our standard of living has risen in the West so have the appeals for our money. Maybe it is God's way of trying to wean us from self-centredness and using these circumstances to train us in detachment and generosity. It's not only difficult to ask for money, however, it can also be hard to ask for other kinds of help. Some years ago I had a strong inspiration from the Lord to call a meeting for magazine editors of the Charismatic Renewal in Europe. Everything was arranged, but at the last moment the place where we had hoped to hold it was no longer available. I remembered a very godly Pentecostal pastor I knew who lived in Berlin. Did I dare ask him if he would be prepared to host the meeting? I didn't know him that well, and it seemed such a huge thing to ask, as he would need to accommodate and feed 12 people for two days, as well as provide a meeting room for us. I remember agonising over the decision. Eventually my sister got quite cross with me. "You're not asking for yourself," she reminded me, "It's for the Lord and his work and by not asking him you are denying him the opportunity to decide for himself whether he wants to participate or not." I realised it was true. I was being self centred more concerned about my own feelings than
the kingdom of God. So I did ask him. And he said yes and proved the
most fantastic host, taking care of all the details in a way I could
never have done. I still find it difficult to ask, but God is teaching
me and I'm getting better. I have realised that the key is also to
grow in cheerful giving myself. With the Christmas season coming,
when can rattlers and charity appeals really proliferate, I should
have lots of opportunity to grow in this gift.
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