It Begins With Yes

At our last Faith and Finances graduation I was having a conversation with a Cornerstone donor who had attended. He said to me, “Man, this is great.” I replied without thinking,

“A lot of good people just kept saying yes and this was the result.”

At Cornerstone we ask a lot of our volunteers. The time commitment alone for participation in Faith and Finances and Jobs for Life can be daunting. But we have found when we reach graduation not a single person would say that it was not worth it. Many of them frankly are sad that it is over.

When we recruit volunteers for our initiatives they are required to attend four sessions of training. In those sessions we attempt to prepare them for pretty much every outcome.

We still have occasional surprises, but we are learning together…

What might a “Yes” to invest in another mean? Typically, some or all of this:

• Laughter

• Deep fellowship

• Frustration

• Good food

• Vulnerability

• Helplessness

• Empowerment

• Success

• Friendship

• Heartbreak

• Contentment

• Sadness

• Joy

• Celebration

I imagine that the disciples of Jesus experienced all of this too. Could you imagine where we would be now if they had said no?

Henry David Thoreau said,  “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” I have experienced this. Maybe you have too?

Could it be that when we insulate ourselves with a NO we miss out on really living?

When a lot of good people say yes it it a tremendous thing. Amid our service, we find we are deepening our dependence on God and living life more abundantly (Jesus’ words —John 10:10) than we have experienced before.

And it all begins with a YES.