A Cautionary Tale for City Builders

Eleanor Roosevelt shows us how to fail miserably.

Arthurdale exemplifies what can go wrong here. I know the urge to get results, to be more effective, or to generate a sense of progress can drive the holiest of souls to use coercive means. Or perhaps simply manipulative means.

But that's why I keep talking about freedom.

Ask and you shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened to you.

Jesus is indicating here that we, and/or the people we serve initiate the relationship. I've never met a poor person on the street who asked for more than a few dollars. A whole city is not something anyone can hold in their mind.

Just to be able to ask for it requires an interesting educative process.