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Morning Thoughts |
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Morning Thoughts |
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2nd Corinthians 10:10, "For
his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is
weak, and his speech contemptible. This morning, people have interesting perceptions/perspectives on preachers. These perceptions can range from outright disrespect of the man and office to outright idolization of the man with many shades in between. In reality, the perception of a man should be that he is a servant that is sent to minister to the needs of God's heritage who is doing a work and inhabiting an office that deserves respect. Anything less proves too little (negligence) for the supply that God sends, and anything more proves too much (idolatry) for the servant of God. Yet, one thing that I have noticed about people's perceptions of preachers - having grown up in a preacher's home and now ordained myself - is that many of the perceptions revolve around what people think of the man's personality. Oftentimes, the idolatry comes as a direct result of enjoyment of the man's personality coupled with the gift, and disrespect comes as a direct result of non-enjoyment of the man's personality and gift. This is not always the case, but many times this does happen. So often, people in the theological world perceive Paul as a master of personal and public interaction. As one that had learned all the fine points of the law, rubbed shoulders with the high religious society, and eventually used these "natural skills" in preaching to people all across the known world, he surely "must" have been powerful to listen to. Should he not? Some songs even tout the great preaching ability of the apostle Paul. Should it not be so? If this man had all of these things coupled with the divine inspiration to write a majority of the New Testament, should he not have been a master orator that could captivate massive audiences? As our verse shows, the answer is no, no, and no. Paul's mental skills (natural learning) did indeed make for a well-versed knowledge of things both natural and spiritual, but those things did not necessarily make him perceived as a gifted speaker. Paul actually claims the opposite: weak and contemptible. His physical presence did not command some aura of eloquent prowess (like an Apollos would - Acts 18). His voice was not one of smooth as honey/soft as silk delivery. Rather, one saw Paul enter the room as a weaker character with a hard to listen to manner of speaking. Furthermore, as Paul goes on to describe what he suffered for the sake of the gospel in chapter 11 of this same book, we see that his physical appearance by this time was rather haggard. What would a body look like after having been stoned so hard that he was left for dead? What would a five times scourged man's body look like after receiving those lashings? His skeletal form was probably greatly disjointed with a bowed back from repeated whippings. Not a pretty sight to behold. On the other hand, Paul attributes glowing remarks about the perception of his writings. Paul was perceived as a great writer, even if he was a poor speaker. It should be no wonder to us that his writings are so powerful and weighty as they came from the Holy Ghost's breathing, but Paul says they were even perceived as such. Yet, Paul was blessed to preach on many occasions as people believed and some were baptized as a result of it. The book of Acts is replete with examples from different cities and lands. Therefore, even though a weak tongue and disheveled presence made him less than desirable (naturally speaking) to listen to and be around, the Lord still blessed his preaching in ways and at times that superseded his physical drawbacks. Now, the query comes, "Where are you going with all of this? So what if that was how Paul was perceived?" The simple point is that people still do likewise today with ministers of the gospel. When I was a little boy and casually glanced around at church, I thought the ministers must have been picked from some of the worst places (besides Dad of course). They were not pretty to look at (most just humble farmers), and most of them were not eloquent to listen to. Some even had voices that grated on the nerves. Yet, when the gospel was brought forth with brilliance and glowing countenance, I have forgotten just how homely some of these same men are when they are preaching. No longer do I hear those grating words from thick and unlearned tongues. Rather, the voice of my Beloved is heard with the sound of turtles in our land. On the other hand, I have witnessed the "judgment" of a man's preaching based on the sizzle instead of the steak. In other words, more emphasis was put on how he said it rather than on what he said. If he could get loud, stomp about, "get in a big way," or some other fashion, the substance was valued less than the presentation. Dear friends, Paul's presentation was not the best either physically or verbally, but the words were blessed at times. Should we make an effort to make our presentation as palatable as possible? Absolutely, and no doubt Paul laboured to that end as well: growing in grace and knowledge. Yet, even with the "smoothing of rougher edges," a man's personality may always contain elements that we either find pleasing or displeasing. Therefore, if the man is being grating without regard to the flock, that is patently different than being unintentionally grating as a result of a naturally thick tongue. So too men should not get emotionally excited to elicit a response from the people, but if the servant feels impressed with the subject matter and inclined to "let loose," then so be it. I have known men that did not preach a lick at times who got more worked up than any I have ever seen, and I have witnessed men blessed to shoot the lights out with never a change of speed or movement about the pulpit over the course of the message. And, I have witnessed vice versa with points in between. Paul, in relaying the people's perception of him in epistle and presence, is not having a pity party or telling us how to perceive people. Rather, he is pointing out that people at that time did what people do today. He had the ability to terrify those saints with his powerful letters, but he did not bear such imposing presence in body. Many might like the physically imposing type who can "fill a room" when they walk into it. Others might like the emotional type that can "relate" to people better than others, and still others might like the ones who can fire up the congregation with their boisterous personality. Yet, what should we desire? What should be our perception of the servants the Lord sends our way? Our perception should hang less on their appearance and mannerisms as it should on the Lord's blessing upon them. If you forget what they look like, what gestures they were wont to make, and what cute stories they had, most of them would be fine with that. However, if you remembered what the message was and what the Saviour's face looked like that day, all of them would shout "Glory Hallelujah" at the enduring blessings of God upon the sheep in their lives. I have been told by some that met me personally after having read some of my writings, "You don't look or act like I expected." I have yet to determine if this is a compliment or an insult or something in between. Regardless, my aim is that after meeting me they remember less about my physical appearance or the sound of my voice than they do about what I laboured to preach unto them. Whether loud or soft, rough or smooth, tall or short, imposing or minimal, may our speech be always seasoned with grace as food for the hearers and glory unto God. Growing up in a preacher's home, I came to realize firsthand how some people based everything on personality. Now as a minister, I know even better about this case. Yet, any minister worth his salt is less interested in "leaving his mark" by eloquent personality and is more interested in "pulling back the curtain" to see into the riches and glory of God. What does your minister look like? What is his personality like? Those questions are made of much less importance with these. Has your minister been blessed to preach Christ lately? What has Christ looked like to you lately? When the focus is on Christ, the perception of the minister is more what it should be: servant. In Hope,  Bro Philip |