Wednesday, January 23, 2008

meeting people

Well, I met lots of people yesterday. There are about 1200 folks here, all from "large" United Methodist Churches. The conference defines large as more than 350 in attendance.

I met people from Texas, Georgia, North Dakota, just about everywhere. There is one other person here from Missouri. Oh, yes for those of you who do not know, I am in Florida at a conference for large church staff. I will be home on Thursday.

Just like everywhere else, when you meet someone, the conversation usually, often quickly gets around to what you do for a living. "Are you a pastor, or are you on staff?" "Are you the Senior Pastor?" I like to tell them that I am not old enough to be the senior pastor.

You know, a persons vocation doesn't always tell you who they are. If I tell you that I am a taxi driver, does that tell you who I am? I am a school teacher, I am an accountant, I am retired, I work in retail. Does any of that tell you who I am? Maybe we don't want to know who people really are.

What if instead of asking, "what do you do for a living," we said something like this: "it's nice to meet you, tell me three things that you think are important about life."

How should a pastor answer that?
three things......
"Father, Son and Holy Ghost."

How about these three things: faith, family and friends.

What are three things that you think are important about life? And pick three that I have not used. Good work for our hearts, souls and minds. Just to make it harder for you to pick three things that I have not used, I also celebrate: life itself, love and pets.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Charity....empathy....honor

Thanks for the opportunity to remember what's important.

Travel safe -

Dave Templeman said...

God's Word, prayers, pets

Anonymous said...

Prayer, humility, grief. Why grief? Without grief, we can't know joy.

Anonymous said...

Peace, Patience, and Passion

Lion's Den Man said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lion's Den Man said...

Nature/Universe...sunrise and set, moon and stars, woods, rivers, mountains, oceans.... experience them appreciate that gift,
Physical Labor....working with your hands sets the mind and soul free... Art/The Arts....what I gift some have been blessed with

terry said...

Walk with God, Prayer, Relationships...

Anonymous said...

-Time (It really is all weve got)
-In depth conversations and actions: (It seems we spend all our time looking for this)
-Perpectual Motion: Always striving to improve (I have a SO far to go!)

GB