pastor

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I’m A Bit Of An Open Book

Have you ever found that being an open book has tripped you up? Well, I have!

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As a pastor, there are times I share things about my life with my congregation that kind of exposes me to their scrutiny.

I wouldn’t say that I reveal everything about myself to my congregation, however, there have been times my wife, Lily, has complained that she finds things out about me in my sermon, along with the congregation.

… Those conversations are a little revealing as well.

Over the years, I would say my congregation knows what I’m like. They know some things that I like, and some things I don’t. They’ve found out about situations I’ve been in.

They know about some of the problems I’ve had. They know some things that make me happy and some things that make me sad.

They also know about things that make me angry, or mad.

And they know about my health. They know I had a heart attack. They know I try to exercise and try to eat the right kinds of foods.

They know my weakness for Dr. Pepper … even though I’ve tried to convince them that it works together with my cholesterol medication.

They know my weakness for junk food and fast food.

When it comes to things like that, I’m a bit of an open book.

As a pastor, it’s not just your family who’s reading you, it’s your whole congregation who’s reading you.

So yesterday I was in a grocery store … pretty innocent – I mean a lot of people go into grocery stores everyday.

It’s just not a good sign when I’m in one. You see, Lily would rather me not go grocery shopping with her. There are too many things that catch my eye and end up in the cart.

And the things that catch my eye are never on her list of things that we need. They are, of course, items that work together with my cholesterol medication.

It’s good that I don’t go in grocery stores that often. They are big places with lots of people strolling, or trolling up and down the aisles.

But that’s where I was yesterday afternoon. Lily was off getting some healthy things down in the produce section … I was in the candy aisle.

And that’s when someone from my congregation spotted me. She paused, cleared her throat, and I looked up.

I was caught! I had already been to the chip aisle so the evidence was in my hands.

What do you say to someone who knows you had a heart attack, that you are trying to live healthier, but they catch you with chips in hand, drooling over a big pack of licorice?

Well, what you do is you play the card you can only play one day a year.

I looked at her, smiled and said, “You’ve got to have junk food for the Super Bowl!”

And that was a good enough answer.

Here’s the thing: Being an open book can trip you up sometimes. But you know, whether you think about it, realize it or not, we are all open books to God. He sees it all, even the things that aren’t seen, like our thought and words. So it’s best to be honest and up front with Him. Don’t pretend He doesn’t see or know. He does. Be quick to confess, and let His awareness of you control your actions, thoughts and words.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you been caught doing lately? Leave your comment below.

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What’s Truly Amazing About Grace 

This is an edited re-post of a blog I published on May 26, 2012. Enjoy.

Let me give you a little insight into my world. Grace is big in a pastor’s life. Most people think pastors are official grace givers at any event.

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At dinner, about 98 percent of the time (a made up stat), people will look to the pastor to say grace.

At wedding receptions, banquets, barbecues, family gatherings, dinner out with friends, anywhere food is being served, probably the pastor will be asked to say grace.

Sometimes I can see the whole thing unfold.

Just before the meal the host will scan the room.  At this point, I can read their mind: they’re thinking, “Whom can I get to say grace?”

Then they spot me, their eyes get big, the expression on their face changes from concern to relief, a smile appears, and then the head nod that says, “ah yes, the pastor. Why didn’t I think of him before?” Then they make a b-line to me.

Actually, I count it an honour to say grace in public.  A few years ago my old high school celebrated its 50th anniversary (not that I was in high school 50 years ago).

I received a phone call asking if I was planning on attending, and if so, would I say grace at the gala dinner banquet.

Based on their knowledge of me in high school, they would never have asked me, but now that I’m a pastor, saying the grace was a perfect job for me.

There are some people who think the pastor has a corner on grace and not just saying it.  I’ve had many people ask me to put in a good word for them with the “Big Guy”.

There have been times where people have made a comment like, “well, you know, he has God on his side.” I could go on, but you get the idea: people think pastors are grace sayers and grace receivers.

One day after I’d had a heart attack a few years back a neighbour said to me, “You having a heart attack? You have to wonder about that.”

He said it as if he didn’t think bad things happened to pastors, or he was questioning what I did to get God mad at me, like maybe I didn’t have God’s grace on my life.

That bothered me because usually people see pastors as being on the good side of grace. I wanted to say, “Wait a minute!  The fact that I’m still here, standing and breathing is a sign I’m on the good side of grace.”

Grace is an amazing thing. It can be spoken as a thanks to God, it can be used as a name (I have a niece named Grace).  It can be given, as undeserved favour, and it can be withheld as punishment. Grace is pretty versatile.

Here’s the thing: The real amazing thing about grace is that we are ALL on the good side of it.  God sent Jesus, His only son, to us as an instrument of grace.  What we need to do is make sure we have received God’s grace by believing in Jesus and claiming him as Lord … and then, live out our days serving Him, knowing that nothing we have done, said, thought or contributed has any merit towards us being recipients of God’s grace. It is God’s unmerited favour on us.  That is truly amazing!

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What ways do you see the grace of God showing up in your life?  Leave a comment below.