Waffles and Mission
This morning I got up early (for me) with the bright idea of making waffles for everybody. As I mixed the batter in a silent house, I was proud of myself for getting breakfast ready in time for everyone to eat. However, as the silence dragged on, it became clear that everyone else had actually already left for breakfast appointments elsewhere. I turned on my iPod, enjoyed a few waffles by myself, and froze the leftovers.
My idea was a good one: provide a much needed service to those I live with, free of charge, with the hope of blessing their lives and investing in our overall sense of community. However, because I did not take the time to ask if anyone would actually eat the waffles I ended up only serving myself.
I wonder what kind of difference we could make in the world if we actually asked the people around us what they need. What if Churches, instead of lamenting that their Sunday Schools are empty and their programs aren’t as popular as they used to be, asked their communities what they need? What if politicians used the crowdsourcing capabilities of the internet to learn what their constituents thought about an issue? What if we took a moment to ask those closest to us questions like “how are you doing?” or “is there something I can help you with?”
Just think of the impact you would make on others, and the energy you could save yourself.
