finding the true gem

I went to a family seminar last week at PTC. The theme was growing strong in a family. One of the talk was about counseling troubled youth and the speaker was talking about something that is quite interesting, which was "finding gems" in these youth.

He went on giving an illustration that to find gold, you have to dig and shift through the mud. The same with these people who are "hard" to deal with. Sometimes, we have to be patient when dealing with these people (not to mention that we also have to be immune to insults and abuse that these kids might do to us). We too have to be sensitive and observant in trying to look and note any interesting behaviour that might mean something positive.

He told us a story about how at one time a kid was brought to his clinic. This boy was very violent and wouldn't listen to anyone. when he came into the clinic, he was screaming and hitting the windows and walls for at least about 30 minutes. Until, 30 mins later he brought himself into the room (this was the first gem). He wouldn't say anything for 40 mins during the first session. However, the next session the same rampage happened again BUT this time it went for only 15 mins, and during the session when he was asked a question, he would answer (though not directly but by wishpering it to his father), and this was the second and third gems. Until for the next sessions that the counselor was able to fully talk to him normally without any rampage.

It's interesting how he didn't looks straight into the bad and make decisions or conclusions based on the bad, but he tried to look for precious "gems" that the individual might've have.

I guess that's the same with us too.. when we see a new person who might not be so like able, we have to be patient and see what precious gems this person might've have, instead of jumping into the conclusion that we can't "click" with this person. Relationship is all about effort and COUNTLESS efforts to try to get to know people, even if it means COUNTLESS rejection and pain. That's just the way God taught us. To love and serve others even if it means giving up our life for their sake.

Jesus did it, why can't we?