It is a hazard of the job. If you choose a people helping profession, you are going to be criticized, even if you have the best of intentions. . I have made some serious mistakes on numerous occasions. I have used poor judgment more than once! I know for a fact that I have preached sermons that just missed the target completely. All of those things are professional hazards. Humanity seems to get in the way at the most inopportune times. Sometimes criticism just naturally follows. It too is a hazard!

I have been very fortunate throughout my career as a minister. I have served with colleagues and volunteers alike who have been so gracious. Even when I made grievous mistakes, they were kind. But last fall was an exception. I felt like I could not do anything right. I started hearing about caustic comments that were being made about me. My professional capabilities were called into question. Of course very little of this information was communicated directly to me. I heard about it second and even third hand.

The frosting on the cake of criticism came in the form of an anonymous letter. The author’s venom was directed at all church leaders. Of course I threw it away and shared the contents with very few people. It was especially disheartening, because it came during a time period when I was feeling pretty low. A few weeks later another letter with no return address arrived. I was not inclined to induce anymore poison from a cowardly, unnamed source, so I started throw this second piece of mail away! I am glad I chose to open it now. Here are the contents of the second letter that was dated January 29th, 2009.

Dear John,


Today I heard a fine message to inspire us to grow stronger in faith and service. I was encouraged by your sermon, and felt privileged to be a Christian. I thought if there was a heart present, that felt the need to make a change for the next year, it could not refuse the initiative from God through his servant to turn to Him. Thanks for a good year of spiritual food for all of us. May God grant you and yours a great 2010.

When a 91 year old lady takes the time to write a letter to me, I take it pretty seriously. And this particular 91 year old was especially credible. She quit driving several years ago, so she was somewhat limited in her activities. That did not stop her! She chose to spend her time doing what she could do! She wrote letters. I mean she wrote lots of letters to all kinds of people. In an age of electronic correspondence, her handwritten words of encouragement were eagerly welcomed.

She also spent a lot of time cooking. Thankfully she had seemed to miss the fact that there are cake mixes and instant potatoes available at the store. She would call the church office about four to six weeks and convey the same message. I will have lunch ready for the entire staff on Tuesday. Come over and pick it up! We indulged in homemade chicken and dumplings, pinto beans, pecan pie, and cornbread. The list could go on…

Two weeks ago my 91 year old encourager celebrated her birthday. We decided it was our turn. We invited her to join us for lunch. None of us can cook as well as her, but we gave it our very best. A person does not turn 92 everyday! We did our best to be perfect hosts.

I enjoyed that lunch so much. She told great stories of the old days. She had kind things to say to all of us. She shared things about her son that he probably would not want repeated, but it sure was funny! It was a rare treat for each of us.

I am so thankful I opened that letter. And I am equally grateful that we planned a birthday lunch two weeks ago. My friend and constant encourager, Pauline Martin, died peacefully in her sleep last night. The police officer who responded to the home to handle her unattended death is a good friend of mine. I told him that Pauline was one of the “real prizes” of the Granbury Church of Christ. If she had known him, he too would have a letter to share today. As we prepared to leave the neat little apartment she had called home in recent years, her son picked up a get well card she had prepared for a man who has been in the hospital this week. It was sitting on her table to be mailed on Monday. I doubt it has a return address on it, but I suspect he will read it and treasure it for a long time to come. I know I treasure my letter today more than I did the day I received it. I am so grateful I knew Pauline Martin. It is one of the perks of the job…