Loudmouth Preacher Blows Off

This morning I drove into a church parking lot for pastor's prayer.

Each Tuesday morning many of the pastors in our town meet and pray for each other, the salvation of multitudes in our area (still waiting for that one) and the salvation of our nation (definitely not seeing that yet--but we aren't giving up)!

And as I drove into the parking lot, I maneuvered my car exactly equidistant from each of the white lines in my parking space.

That's pretty funny.

Here I am, driving the only car in the entire lot (except the host pastor's) and I have to make sure I'm exactly lined up between the white lines. I mean--I could have parked it sideways or across four parking spaces and who would have cared? At most there would have been 9 more cars and we had the whole parking lot.

Ever avoid the "handicapped" space in an empty parking lot? I have.

Funny how we try so hard to be good.

Funny how little we make it.

I was at my favorite hangout in North Manchester, Zooks, and a preacher friend called me. We've been close for years and meet about every two weeks for Chinese food (love the stuff).


Luckily I was alone.

As I talked to this friend I drifted into a "preacher rant" and started complaining about people--until the moment God "opened my eyes."  (If you are a Bible reader, you'll find moments when God hides things from somebody, then-- "He opened their eyes...").

This was one of those moments.

God let me hear myself, in the middle of Zooks, complaining about people. Worse yet, I'd spent the weekend with my parents, whose hearing isn't so good, so I was TALKING MUCH LOUDER AS I COMPLAINED ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESTAURANT!!

I can just see the headlines: "Loudmouth Preacher Blows Off About People in Public; Congregation Shakes Heads in Disappointment."

I'm glad nobody was around to write that one!

I tried to "fix" it, of course--backpedaling with compliments, but it was far, far too late.

I try so hard to be good, and then I blow it.

Aren't you glad Jesus didn't just come for "good" people, but for people like me--and you?

Jesus said, "I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners" (Matthew 9:13 NLT).

Whew! Thanks, Jesus!