THE ART OF WAR

Somehow part of this post deleted- so here I go again

I wonder if God is insulted when we don’t trust him. Is he insulted during those times when he has sent His Word but we doubt him and take our direction from what the people near us say or think?

I’ve been handling a matter for my mother. After spending some time researching the issues, I came up with what was the best and quickest solution for the matter. My mother was rushing me and holding my pay until I completed the job. I took my time doing the research and since she was rushing me, I asked her to file the document once it was complete. I would have waited until my next weekday trip to Oakland but- she wanted it done A.S.A.P.

I wanted my former assistant to file the thing because he is familiar with filing things and I knew what would happen to my mother if the clerks acted like they sometimes act. When you give some clerks something unfamiliar they shut down, refuse to file it, tell you that you need to do something different and they confuse you. I knew my mother would leave if the clerk said no and call me up like I’d failed to do something.

I spoke to my former assisant and he was all set to go. I just needed to telephone my mother and work out the details. I was unable to call him back though because of the robbery.

On Friday, Mr. A apprehended a robber. I’ll try to post more on that story later. I’ve blogged before about Mr. A being a West Point Grad, and having training in lots and lots of stuff. It feels great to have my own protector, who is actually trained. Military trained and inner city L.A. training. He can hand out a military style formal beat down or a hood style a** whipping.

After dealing with the police and the neighbors I didn’t have time to get my mother and former assistant together so I had to give my mom a pep talk to get the stuff filed.

I had told mom’s not to take no for an answer and she asked me if I wanted her to jump on the counter or something and demand they file it. I had asked my brother to go with her because I knew he’d make it happen, but he’s preparing for our party this weekend and couldn’t go. My typical strategy is to stay at the clerks desk and keep asking questions until they figure out what to do. My mother not being familiar with the content of the document or the law under which I produced that document, could only say okay when the clerk told her it couldn’t be filed.

My mother had called me when she was on her way to the clerks office. I called her a while later and she was leaving the clerks office. They had told her she couldn’t file it. I convinced her to go back. She told me the clerk had spoken to her supervisor and her supervisor also said no it could not be filed. I told my mother that I know the law and she needed to be firm. I knew it was correct.

She went back and let me speak with the clerk. After speaking with the clerk for a while, I asked her to check her manual more thoroughly. She did and she finally found the rules for what I was trying to get filed. This took a while but usually when you are patient with the clerks it all works out. The clerk and I went through the guidelines, she was still saying no and trying to point out why the document wasn’t good. I had to encourage her to finish reading each sentence. She finally realized she could file it, she sent my mother to a nearby notary and voila its done. My mother then put the money in my account. JOY!

My mother isn’t really my client, the commerical property she owns is my client and since I’m her child she probably has to be a bit more demanding. She is very controlled when she is spending business money. She is always a demanding in regards to the work but if its personal money she doesn’t make me wait to get paid. She conducts business differently, her motto is from the bible “in business be men.” It doesn’t matter if you’re doing business with a female, a child, a saint, a man, or a relative, be men. Keep business matters business matters.

Back to the title of the post. I had told my mother that what I gave her was good and acceptable for filing but she left in reliance on what the clerk said. It makes sense why she’d trust the clerk, the clerk is there everyday, she does this everyday, she seems to know what she is speaking of. The clerk even has the apparent authority to say no and say what document is not appropriate for filing.

Sometimes I might ask God for something and he’ll send direction. He’ll send His Word or he’ll send the thing I’m asking for. Eventhough I know God has the ability, eventhough I know his track record, I will trust the word of the person telling me it can’t happen. I will trust the negative word of the apparent authority and back off even though I know I’ve gotten a higher approval.

This situation has caused me to recognize how I sometimes interact with God. That I sometime choose the word of people who are limited to operating under specific guidelines and whose knowledge is limited. I know God’s Word for me, I know that he has organized everything and has made the way for me but if I don’t stand firm I can’t get what is already prepared for me.

Fortunately for me, God will keep sending me back to the place to get what is mine. Just like I sent my mother back to get what was hers. Just as my mother stood there while I talked to the clerk, God will speak up for me when I feel like I can’t speak up for myself. When I don’t feel equipped to fight the battle, he will fight for me. All I have to do is stand.