Yep, they're human too.

I heard a story about a preacher that reminded me that preachers are also human.  Sometimes I think we forget that.

This particular preacher was driving down a busy road, leaving a voicemail for one of his church's members. (I hope he was driving hands-free. 🙂) A driver cut the preacher off.  

The preacher let out a very unChristian word.

Then, to his horror, he remembered that he had not disconnected the phone.

Which meant that the person he was leaving the voicemail for heard the word.

Oops.

So, on Sunday morning, he began the sermon by telling on himself. 

His audience's reaction?

They roared with laughter. 

And at last report, he still has his job. (Some churches might have fired him on the spot.) 

There are several reasons, I think, why the preacher's audience laughed.

One, he was willing to own up to his slip of the tongue and not try to hide it.

Two, he's been candid about some of his past struggles, which makes him relatable to his congregation.

Three, he's been a preacher at that congregation long enough for them to know that he is human and that he messes up.

Four, he brings to his role not only a wealth of knowledge of the Scripture, but a heart full of compassion for the people he serves. 

Five, he's never behaved like he's "all that", rather, he sees his role as being that of a humble servant of God.   

So many "public service" people -- doctors, nurses, first responders, grocery clerks, other service jobs -- have been under so much stress since COVID began. 

But probably none more so than preachers, because they get bombarded with so many, "Why did God allow this to happen to me?" questions. 

They're called to give "spiritual" responses to human questions when they may not even know the answers themselves. 

The people they serve are often so awed by him they think he is God.  Or, they get angry because he is not God, but rather, an imperfect human being. 

Some preachers may need to be called out or confronted on their behavior or on their handling of the Word of God, or on their treatment of the people they serve. 

But my guess is that most of them are people who have a deep desire to serve God and to serve others.

Just like the preacher in this story.

We need to remember that they're human, too.

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.

(P.S. - If you're reading this and you have a priest, or pastor, or whoever delivers the sermon or homily, just insert their title in place of "preacher". 😊)