Years ago I was pastoring a church in a small town. I was new to the pastorate, having surrendered to full-time ministry only a short time before I came to this church. The church knew I had a master’s in counseling, so several members approached me one day and asked me if I would reach out to the pastor of another church in town. This pastor was decades older than me, but he had lost a son within the last year and was struggling with life.
I knew that this pastor frequented a local diner every morning, so I decided at least once a week that it would become my first stop each day. Over time, we formed a friendship, he began to trust me, and, most importantly, he began to share his broken heart with me. He became one of my dearest friends.
My pastor friend passed away about six months into our relationship. I still think of him and his absence with a heavy heart. I miss him. I will never forget the last months of our friendship and how he consistently told me that God had sent me to him. He was so appreciative of our time together.
He died unexpectedly and, though I had told him how much he meant to me, I never fully communicated to him what I grew to understand, perhaps because I didn’t fully process our relationship until months after he was gone. God confirmed some truths to me after his death:
I was sent to him…I believe that is true….but, equally true…he was sent to me…
My pastor friend, with his years of experience, helped me as a new pastor learn how to handle situations and deal with people in my church. He was a listening ear when things were not going as I thought they should go. He was an encourager to keep doing the things God had called me to do. He was iron sharpening my iron.
Looking back, God used him in my life perhaps far more than I was used in his.
Have you ever had a similar situation? Has the one you were sent to help ended up helping you? To whom could God be sending you today? Could it be that they need your help…and you need theirs?
Are you willing to get messy with people to help them…so that they can help you?
As a female, I have been reluctant in situations where it appears God is using me to help a member of the opposite sex. This is slightly confusing but uncomfortable for me at the same time. Once a guy said that literally a month before I met him he had told God he was lonely and then I met him through another friend at the time. While I realize what he said seems slightly like a pick-up line, learning about him overtime & his situation it clearly wasn't. I also had a non-believer male I knew through a friend say that I met with him just before he was feeling like he was going through a nervous breakdown. A few other situations like this have happened but I would prefer to help a female than a male because feelings get confused especially since I am single.
Pastor Edmondson,
I really appreciate your ministry. God bless.
Thank you. Makes my day!
Back in the 1990's, I was part of a writer's group in my home county and got to know one of the writers fairly well. He was an older gentleman in his late 70's and we shared quite a bit. Well, the group disbanded and Bernie and I lost touch with each other until about six months ago when he called me out of the blue. He's now 91 and pretty much housebound, but I go to see him once every two weeks. He has been a regular contributor to a Christian magazine for years–the magazine recently stopped its print editions and is now strictly online. Well, Bernie (he calls himself a dinosaur) doesn't own a computer, but I do. I print off the online magazine for him, so he can still see his articles. I believe God brought us back together so I could help him out. I get blessed, too, because he is sharp as a whip and has lots of experiences.
Wow. Those type people help build people by building people.
I started meeting with my friend, Dorothy, years ago. She was 30 years older than me. She passed away about a year ago. Her investment in my life has made all of the difference in the world. Even my husband says that when he is old, he wants to be just like Dorothy. I would mentor someone younger, but the opportunity just has not come. Yet.
I love that. That's intentional living! Thanks