I am a seeker of wisdom. Notice, I said "seeker" and not possessor. I love to be around people who are wiser than myself; those that make me question my actions and motives; those that make me seek God harder just because I saw their life. I pray that some day, when I'm older, I will be wiser. Sure, God can grant me wisdom with the snap of His finger; but until He does that I must continue to seek out those who are wiser than myself and put myself in a learning position.
I asked of one wiser than myself to leave me with a "thought", "word", "encouragement", etc., (mostly, I still can't think of the word in English to describe what I was asking for) before they left to return to America.
The word I got:
Perseverance
Shortly after this word left his lips, I heard something else.
"Oh look, pocket lint!"
Thus begun the strange workings of my brain.
Perseverance and Pocket Lint
It was 5 a.m. and I was a bit tired. I caught a 6:30 a.m. train back to Naples and had much time to think and meditate on this "Perseverance and Pocket Lint" phrase. The more I thought, the more it fit.
As believers, we will always have good times and tough times in our lives. There is a season for everything. Naples is a tough place to do ministry. It's old; it's traditional; it's Italian. These people don't want or welcome change. But that does not mean they are not still in desperate need of the gospel. If I had 6 years left in Naples, I would seek to persevere. If I had 1 week left in Naples, I would seek to persevere. I have 4 months left in Naples, so I will persevere.
"...we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
No matter what the tribulation is, we persevere, because perseverance brings on much more. Through all of the tough things that may have happened here in Naples, I have learned. What may have seemed bad in the moment, will down the road be seen as beneficial and has spurred on growth. The end goal is not success. It is God. So I persevere, knowing that whatever it happening is an opportunity to know God more; and His love has been pour out within my heart, so I have no other needs.
Whereas perseverance may be a more weighty word, pocket lint is not so much. At the moment though, it holds the same weight. How can pocket lint compare to a thing such as perseverance? When I think of perseverance, I know it entails learning new things and learning more about God. Around of all the things I must persevere through, there is also "life." Everyday life. Which for me, here in Naples, I can describe as POCKET LINT.
Pocket lint. It is the stuff that just sort of collects in your pockets from day to day. Usually you aren't even aware that it is there. But it is, and it's accumulating. Then one day, you stick your hands in your pockets and pull out some pocket lint. Let's stop there with the analogy, because if you think even further through it, pocket lint is no longer of any value. :)
I learn so many lessons for life just by living here. Things like building friendships, learning languages, managing a home, parenting, child psychology, cooking skills, etc. Pocket lint. Yes, most of the time I am aware of the new lessons I am learning. But many times, I am unaware of how important some of these lessons will be later in life. They just keep accumulating in my pocket. One day I will pull them out.
And so, without putting much time and thought into it, and without proof-reading, I have written on Perseverance and Pocket Lint. In my time with Campus Outreach, I was taught how to label periods in my life. To help classify different times and to be able to remember what God was teaching me at different points.
Napoli/Journeyman ~ Perseverance and Pocket Lint
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