A Tale of 2 Pastors

I wanted to write about 2 very influential people currently in my life.  It just so happens that they are both terrific men, and Pastors.  Our relationships are very different, and yet both of them help to give me a sense of purpose and hope, especially when I feel down and troubled.

The first is the new Pastor at our church, John.  The first thing that drew me to John was his humility.  John is a very smart man, which I would learn quickly by speaking with him, but what came straight through to me from our first handshake was his warmth and his humble nature.  His demeanor immediately said "I am here to serve God, and I am here to serve you unconditionally as your Pastor".  What a wonderful feeling to get.  His messages are meant from EVERYONE.  There is no underlying worldly message of church politics, or world politics, but rather that we are meant to rise above that.  I take pride in running the audio/video board for him because I want his service to be smooth and perfect for him.  Despite the fact that we rarely (ok...never) have a flawless service, we have fun laughing at our misfortunes and swearing to get it right next time.  But isn't that what we should be about in every part of our lives?  We did our best, we brought a great message to others, we had our flaws, we embraced as friends and relished in our victories and defeats, and we vowed to try harder tomorrow.  I'm blessed to have him as a Pastor and friend.  Tyler is blessed to have him as his Pastor and friend as well.

The second is my friend Rene.  Rene works at one of our work locations, so I get to see him quite frequently.  Rene was special to me from my first day with the company.  When I walked into work for the first time, I could feel the eyes upon me.  The folks working there have incredibly long tenure, and I figured they would snicker and wonder who the new guy was.  It was a little nerve-racking.  I made my way around the shop and came across Rene.  He welcomed me with a handshake and a hug.  A HUG.  At that moment something in me changed.  I felt myself relax and take a breath.  Only through subsequent conversations would I find out that Rene is a Pastor who travels and delivers his messages in different venues and different ways.  I would also find out that we are probably polar opposites where it comes to social issues, which makes absolutely no difference to either of us.  Each day I see him we embrace and spend a few moments checking up on each other.  Its one of the most meaningful parts of my day.  

Being able to take care of Tyler's needs is an effort made by an entire village of people.  Those people, in order to give their best for him, have to feel a sense of love in their own lives.  The people around them are instrumental in doing that.  When I begin feeling a loss of hope, I need to have people around me who can keep my heart whole.  Its important for us to have family, neighbors, coworkers, and church members who have that ability to lift us up.  Many of those people don't realize it, but even the small acts of love and kindness makes us better at serving Tyler.  Without so many of those individuals, our story would be much different today than what it is.

So remember, when you are reaching out to someone in your own way, you may unknowingly be a part of their story.  You may be part of their village that is essential to keeping them going every day.  You may be the handshake, message, or hug that they look forward to.  They may need you more than you know.

Be well and God bless.    Tom