Warriors, Old & Young

Warriors, Old & Young:

I just left breakfast.  Several of my preacher buddies and I get together every week to just talk.   Part of our conversation this morning had to do with old "war stories."  I'm the oldest in the group.  I asked another pastor from my era to tell about a conflict he had lived through several decades ago.  I'm glad my friend made it through with his integrity intact.  I have been blessed by his survival.  Had he not made it through that crisis, I'm confident that he would have gone on to another ministry in another place, but my life would have been much poorer without his friendship for these years. The breakfast conversation continued as I rode home with the youngest member of our group.  What place does experience have in enabling us to lead people?  I'd like to think, it is worthwhile, but it's not the gold-standard.  After fifty years of doing something some folk don't have half a century of experience; they have one year of involvement repeated forty-nine times.  We live in changing times.  In times of transition the young and nimble, with their cutting-edge skills, may be better able to lead than the old and experienced who possess a knowledge of that which is now long past.   One of the big components of wisdom is knowing what to keep, how long to keep it, what to dump, and when to dump it.  Wise and Stodgy, Experienced, and Irrelevant all live in the same neighborhood. Lord, help me and my young friend, as well as those in between, to know the difference.   It’s STTA.     The link above will take you to an archive of things to think about.  This one will take you to one that I add to less often.  It tends to be a bit more serious. You can read about the life-changing Good News  here.

Holding the hand of life's victims:

Something To Think About, Holding someone's hand when life beats them up:

I was privileged to be the guest speaker at a church that was honoring some friends of mine for Pastor Appreciation Day.  Getting ready to share there, I got out a file folder I've kept over the years.  l am a lousy record keeper, but when I receive something that encourages me I put it in that folder, if I remember to do it.  I keep it so sometimes when I'm low I can be encouraged with some recycled expressions of love. Several years ago I was with someone who had severely injured themself in a fall.  The Dr. was sewing up their hand.  I held the other one, while the physician did his work.  A couple of weeks later I got a card from that parishioner, thanking me.  I put that card in the file-folder.  I mentioned it in my message.  I pointed out that part of the Job Description for pastors is "Holding the hands of folks whom Life has beaten up."  I got another card today.  I'll put it in my folder as soon as I'm finished with this.   One of my pastor friends who was present for my sermon said, "I loved 'Pastors hold people's hands when life beats them up.'  So glad we have each other's hands for this journey."  Me, too, Brother.  Another pastor friend, my son, posted on his Facebook page today, "Just cannot express how important it is for pastors to make time to encourage other pastors. Thankful for ____ & for eggs&coffee." Fellow pastors, if we are doing what we ought to do, as in serving under the chief Shepherd, we aren't in competition, we are all working for the same goal.  lt can be lonely, let's be sure to encourage one another, whenever we can. It's STTA.