Standing in the aisle
of the grocery store, a person walks up to you and says, “Hi, I loved the
outfit you wore on Sunday.” While
racking your brain for the person’s name, you plaster on a smile and politely
reply, “Thank you.”
If you are in the ministry, you most likely have experienced
some similar situation. It seems
everywhere we go someone knows who we are and they watch our every move. I laughingly told a friend once that I sometime
feel like a celebrity dodging the paparazzi.
Please, I am a normal person who has bad hair days, zits,
has a body full of cellulite and who can down a bag of Peanut M & M’s in
one afternoon. I cry at dog food
commercials and sapping movies. If my
face ever appears on the cover of a magazine, the photographer would need to do
a ton of photoshopping. Oh and surprise,
my family is not perfect. Yes, life in
the ministry often leaves our lives open to scrutiny of critics and everyone
thinks they know who we are.
However, I learned early in ministry to embrace my sometimes
very public life. I graciously welcome
the expected and unexpected visitor at my door.
They just need to realize that life happens in my home. You see, these days I may have one or both of
my preschool grandsons at the house. You
will have toys all over the living room floor, a three year old running circles
and a seven month old giggling at his big brother’s antics. I may or may not be in workout clothes
without makeup and my hair less than perfect.
And you know what, it’s all okay.
Now back to standing in the grocery aisle trying to figure
out the person’s name. If I can’t come
up with their name, I simply laugh and say, “Please tell me your name
again. I am very good at recalling a
face. However, while you have one name to remember, I have a congregation full
to recall.” Trust me girlfriends that
person will not get offended and they suddenly discover that you are just like
them.
No comments:
Post a Comment