Remember that time I was asked to stop listening to God’s Word in the effort to welcome visitors and hopefully make them members of the church?
This morning was a rerun. Same guy. Same issue. About the same time before church.
Now, I’m not going to say what the issue was – doesn’t matter, really. But I’m noticing a pattern, and I’ve got to say, the devil is very clever.
When this gentleman approached me last time, it was a Sunday morning before church.
Generally, I practice my sermon one last time around seven in the morning in the sanctuary. At that point, it’s usually me and one other gentleman in the building, and he’s typically off doing some cleaning, leaving me alone. On a normal Sunday, I don’t need to do the final review. I’ve got the sermon down; that last run-through is more for my confidence level and one last timed run-through.
That particular morning, though, I did not have the sermon memorized well. It was shaky at best. My mind was very much on getting ready for worship. However, this gentleman came in and wanted to talk – now. I had thought it would take five minutes or so, so I acquiesced and we talked. Almost until church started.
That made for a very distracted conversation. I was not at my best, and I knew it.
Well, he approached me again this morning. Thankfully it was after I’d run through the sermon, but this week I happened to be sick. I was in the final stages of a twenty-four hour bug; nothing serious, but enough that I wasn’t at 100%. And he chooses today, a day that I could not bring my full attention to him. A day when I wasn’t paying full attention because the illness made me very, very tired.
Again, conversation of about an hour.
“You’re not going to give on this, are you?” he asked me several times.
“If you can show me where I’m wrong from the Bible, I’ll give.”
“That’s just your interpretation!”
“Show me where I’m wrong.”
He left very displeased.
Now, I’m noticing in this pattern-of-two that… he approaches me on days I’m not at 100%. He approaches me when I’m not fully “with it.” And on both days, there was no way he could have known about that ahead of time.
Will we make it a triplet? Will he approach again on a morning – or a day – when I’m not with it? A pastor needs to be prepared in season and out with God’s Word, and I was able to go to the Bible today. I was also irritable and probably far more sarcastic than I needed to be.
If I shove someone away because I hold to God’s Word, so be it. That’s not my preference, of course, but I will stand with God before I stand with a human.
But if I shove them away because I’m a jerk, because I’m not feeling well? That’s not cool. And Satan knew the exact day to prompt him so he’d get the worst possible reaction out of me. I’m convinced that this man really does have this issue stuck in his heart, and it’s going to take God to unstick it. I’m also convinced that the timing of his approaching me is the Devil’s doing.
So what do I do about it?
Pray.
Be prepared in season and out – in other words: I know what the issue is, and I should prepare a loving response ahead of time.
Stop agonizing. What’s done is done.
Don’t be afraid to say, “Hey, today isn’t the best time. I know this is a big deal for you; can we meet tomorrow or later today?”
And we’ll see if this becomes a triplet.
Ordained for Growth 