As a young pastor of 21 years of age in Marysville, Michigan, I had a lot to learn. One of the greatest lessons I learned in that time of my life was not really understood until a few years later.
I was at a meeting of pastors in the southeastern part of the state. There were probably 20 men at the meeting. One of the leaders who was working with me to start the church, invited me to the meeting and at the appropriate time in the meeting asked me to share a few thoughts about the work.
I proceeded to share who I was and what I was doing in the area, and what I had seen God accomplish so far during my time there. I shared about what I thought was a need of the work and at the end of the meeting, a man who was a guest of one of the pastors spoke up and said he wanted to write a check for $400 to the young fellow from Oklahoma who shared about his need.
Well, I thought this was pretty great. I was doing pretty well, wasn’t I? God was blessing the work and I was seeing Him accomplish things on my behalf. After the meeting, the pastor of the church where the meeting was held asked me if I would like to get together sometime for a visit. I thought that was a good idea. This pastor was in his mid forties and appeared successful and had been in the ministry for several years.
My first thought was he wanted to learn more about me and to find ways to be a part of what I was doing and help make me more successful. That is exactly what his goal was, but he was coming at it from a different angle than I was.
A few weeks later, I came to his church to meet with him. We sat down in his office and after a few questions and getting to know me a little better, he asked if I would take a Bible and read Romans chapter 7. And while reading to make note of how many times the words I, me, and my were in that chapter.
He stepped out of the room for a few minutes and upon his return, I listened as he shared with me some thoughts about being in the ministry. At the time, I really did not grasp what he was kindly trying to get me to see. I thanked him for his time and we parted ways, never to see or talk to each other again. (until today, 40 years later).
For you see, I did not quite comprehend what he was graciously trying to get me to understand. But a few years later, when I was at a different point in my life, his thoughts came back to me. And as I reread Romans chapter 7 as he had asked me to do, I finally got it.
You see, at that time in my life in Michigan, I was all about myself. It was about me, myself, and what I thought, said, and believed. I was following God, but my thoughts about myself were too lofty. If you would have asked me was I in the ministry for myself, I would have said no. But somehow, my flesh was more in control and my prideful attitudes were manifested to others, and he could see it. With his years of experience, he was trying to get me to understand that ministry is not about us, it’s about those we are ministering to and it’s about God. God wants to get the glory, and He does not reallly want to share that glory with us.
As a young man, I was not seeing myself clearly. That wise pastor took time out of his schedule to spend with me and help me see what I could not see. Over the years at various times, I have thought back on that conversation and those words of wisdom that he shared with me; and tried to apply them to my life again and again. Even as I write these words I am thinking; do I really see myself as I should?
As we traveled in Michigan, I could not help but think about that conversation one more time. So I purposed when I arrived back home in Oklahoma that I would try and find him and thank him for his investment in my life.
Because his last name is a little different, through an internet search I was able to find his phone number. I called him, recounted these events to him and expressed my gratefulness to him. He is now 85. He did not recall me specifically but remembered giving that project to several people during his life. During our conversation he referred to me as young man. I reminded him that I was now 61, not so young.
Isn’t God good how he uses us to help others and then sometimes allows us to hear it about years later. He expressed gratefulness to me for taking the time to look for him and share with him how his words of wisdom have blessed me over the years. And I was certainly blessed to be able to share those thoughts with him.
Maybe now is a good time for you to think back upon people who have blessed your life. Then take some time to call them, or write them and express your gratefulness to them. If you do that, you will be truly blessed also.
For more thoughts on expressing gratefulness, read this post.
