Unexpected Revelations

As a pastor, you often hear deep and personal expressions from people--things that are usually as painful to hear as they are to say. In addition, I have a face that speaks. This is what my face says: "Please tell me things, random strangers--private, personal, embarrassing things. I am here to listen". Even without the title of pastor, my face invites familiarity...in grocery stores, airports, and other various and sundry locations. Sometimes, when I am particularly tired or stressed, I try not to make eye contact with people when out in public. I guess they can see in my eyes that I care, and with briefest eye contact, the telling of deep things begins. It is a gift and a curse.

Something that continues to surprise me is what happens in a pastoral counseling setting. People come into my office to talk to me. Usually, things have gotten pretty bad or difficult before you even ask to talk to your pastor, so I don't expect simple, easy things to come out of people's mouths. At some point in the conversation, the person will inevitably say something like: "Well, Pastor, it's really bad...are you sure you want to hear it? You will be surprised". I have been a pastor for 7 years, and have had this face for, well, my whole life...so honestly, there is not much I haven't heard. Still, I am always surprised when people worry they will shock me with their revelations. Maybe, just for fun, I should audibly gasp after someone tells me something particularly seedy (totally kidding!!!!).

I wonder if people think pastors are so holy that they know nothing of the world of sin and human frailty. Most people who become pastors do so because they realize they are, in fact, just as sinful as every one else in the world (perhaps moreso), and desperately in need of God's grace.

When people act as if they are about to saying something that will turn my faith upside down, I think: Has anyone ever actually read the Bible? Once you have read that book, nothing should really shock you about human nature again. It's all in there--nothing new under the sun.

The thing is, we all mess up. We all fail ourselves, fail each other, fail God. The Good News is that there is mercy, grace, healing, and new life available. That is one of the greatest things about being a pastor. I get to tell people (or at least remind them) that God's love is deeper than all their pain, God's mercy is wider than all their sin. That is an amazing thing.