GOD KNEW the ENCOURAGEMENT I NEEDED AS HE PROVIDED THROUGH A RADIO TALK SHOW HOST.
ASPERGERS. The autism spectrum. The truth of socially awkwardness. Trying to fit in. With seemingly random, quirks, and the world that they navigate with wired brains to absorb in the special interest God has placed within them. We find balance of embracing “they are fearfully and wonderfully made” with the other truth of the God of our salvation calling us to not “think about ourselves… but the other person”.
So as this Christian man, walking the walk with the life of Jesus and the unique way in which He is created, he shared this same truth for his life!!!! Exact scripture and perspective! IT is hard, hard work. He must be intentional and learn to set aside his own “interests” (that he could easily talk non stop on) at times to simply inquire of another. And grace. He having grace on the one who may not want to listen to his topic for hours on end, and the other talk show host chiming in to explain how grace is important for the typical person as well to exercise. Grace to recognize the effort one is putting forth to ask “how are you doing…” and so forth and make that effort to respond in kind. Grace to look at the person as God does… not to focus in on their random, or impulsive moments, and deem them as “random”, “odd”, “out there”.
Truth is, there isn’t anything random about what they are thinking. Their minds are full of inquisitiveness, curiosity, exploration, and taking in so much.
And this is what I found when I came home on their website by this same man:
“I’m a radio host and a writer. It turns out radio is wonderful for me because I don’t have to worry about anyone’s body language… but mostly I’m a radio host because I’m convinced God makes us the way we are for a reason. He even tells us why – it’s so HE can be glorified. It’s funny, because all the years that I went through difficulty trying to understand social life at school… and I could never quite fit in… all those experiences have helped me… You may not realize it, but the very things that make you stick out right now can be wonderful things later. I never thought it would be so, but a look back now on my life and I say, “Thank God.” Thank God for the difficulties I’ve gone through and thank God for autism.”
I’m so grateful for the life God has given us. Meaningful Monday was a “class” I taught here in the headquarters of Schooling on the Rock of Jesus (but not only on Mondays, but everyday). Relational skills. In varying settings of at home. Outside these walls. Varying situations. And for many years that was focused primarily at home between one another. Varying between the relating with young ones to old ones. All the ways we relate in communication. Helping. Serving. Hugging. Who, when. This is hard, hard work. This desperate need has only pointed and forces us into being more intentional than we would have been apart from this “life”. Recognizing a deeper awareness of our need for Jesus and relationship with Him. It has forced us to work REALLY, REALLY, hard to do that which God calls us all to do as His followers, in the tiny, simplistic, everyday living of life with one another.
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10 … and we are definitely a work in progress.
Thankfully He Who has begun a good work will be faithful to complete it.
