Why You Should Always Ask Twice
By Chelsy Massa
“I am so glad Jessie asked me twice.”
Oftentimes in ministry, we give up on the first try. Meeting people is scary for many of us, and when we shoot our shot, we want it to be instantly perfect and swoosh in the net.
That is not the reality of the world we live in. Certainly not in an age where we are all a little socially off. Social media is rampant and greatly affects the way we interact with one another. Let’s not even talk about the social stunting of COVID. Yet, all these things have left the Christian without the courage to ask, let alone ask twice.
The ability to endure is the call of the Christian laborer. Jessie is a 19 year old village leader in Moscow, ID. This was her first year leading village and God was teaching her a lot about who and how to be missional in the spheres He had put her. This endurance is evident in Jessie’s life. She asked her coworker twice to go to the village, Resonate Church’s small group, and now here she is. She is experiencing a transformative community all because of Jesus. This story is not unique, but a testament to what James says in the bible:
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful (James 5:7-10).”
The way we talk about laboring in the harvest is only about the reaping portion of harvesting. Yet, Jesus himself reminds us that we are to reap what we do not sow and sow what we do not reap (John 4:35-38). Sowing is a lot of work too, and it's often the work we need to do before we can even begin to reap. Sowing is making a place for the seed to grow and flourish. It also watered and continued to till the ground to make it good soil. Then, as James reminds us, we must be patient. Patient until the rains come. Patience does not bear the fruit of grumbling, but it produces the fruit of steadfastness.
Are we steadfast in the ways of the sower? Sowing for us today means asking twice. Asking as many times as necessary until we get a yes or a no. We too often let the enemy instill a heart of fear in us. We fear being too naggy or overly annoying. Yet, when we let our concern for what others think of us rule us, we forsake their ability to hear eternity-changing news. We do not let the feeble schemes of the enemy trip into silence, but instead let the Spirit, the word, and the Church encourage us, as it puts courage in us to keep enduring in a hope that never fails and in a God that promises a plentiful harvest.
