After the service, the minister...
Illustration
After the service, the minister met in his study with a young woman who had requested to see him.
"I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me some five years ago. You changed my life! It happened in this very room. I left it a different woman than when I entered."
The minister looked puzzled; wracked his brains, then suddenly, he remembered the young woman. She had come to see him about a deep personal problem. He recalled the interview. He also remembered that he felt he had given the young woman no help at all.
"Thank you," said the surprised minister, "I do recall our last meeting. And I do recall what the problem was. But I do recall that I hardly said a word to you and certainly felt I was quite in capable of solving the situation for you."
"That's right. You did not solve my problem. But you listened to me, ever so patiently as I went over what was in my heart. And the miracle was that I left this room a totally changed woman. Thank you pastor for listening."
When Jesus preached to "his town folk" in Nazareth they did not really hear what he was saying. They saw only the carpenter's son become preacher. Thus because they did not listen, they missed the glory.
-- Docherty
"I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me some five years ago. You changed my life! It happened in this very room. I left it a different woman than when I entered."
The minister looked puzzled; wracked his brains, then suddenly, he remembered the young woman. She had come to see him about a deep personal problem. He recalled the interview. He also remembered that he felt he had given the young woman no help at all.
"Thank you," said the surprised minister, "I do recall our last meeting. And I do recall what the problem was. But I do recall that I hardly said a word to you and certainly felt I was quite in capable of solving the situation for you."
"That's right. You did not solve my problem. But you listened to me, ever so patiently as I went over what was in my heart. And the miracle was that I left this room a totally changed woman. Thank you pastor for listening."
When Jesus preached to "his town folk" in Nazareth they did not really hear what he was saying. They saw only the carpenter's son become preacher. Thus because they did not listen, they missed the glory.
-- Docherty
