September 25, 2006

Good Morning! It’s one of those “Oh my it’s early kind of mornings.” I have wondered from time to time just how a minister goes up to the pulpit to preach a sermon on something that in their own lives is not perfect. Jesus did warn against both the yeast of the Pharisees and about being a hypocrite.
“How can you think of saying, `Friend,* let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.” (Luke 6:42, NLT)
Would there be areas in which a minister should not preach? If perhaps a minister has trouble in the area of gambling should he or she then avoid the subject? For while we all strive to please God by living a perfect life, we also will fail at times, even those called to be ministers or missionaries. One thing to remember is that it is not our own personal message that we share, but God’s message of love and hope.
Certainly the critics of this world, and there are many, will point out every error of someone sharing the word of God. If a perfect life were required to share the Word, none of us would qualify in our own righteousness. A minister might indeed be called to give a message that speaks not only to the congregation, but to his or her own life as well. This may be more often then we might think, for in suffering comes understanding. A minister, who has fought the problem of gambling for example, might be able to give a very good message on the emotional, physical, and psychological cost of that sin. He or she may have an understanding that someone who has never been tempted in that area would lack. Actually, I would even venture to say “will have” instead of “may have” in that sentence. Now if you are called to the ministry, please don’t take that as a command to experience every kind of sin before you start because you “seek understanding”. No, it is God’s message, not the minister’s and God has understanding already.

Praise God for the wisdom to empathize with our neighbor.

Bucky