I am an oddball, beset by quirks and eccentricities. I have unusual patterns of behavior and routine. Take for example my sermon preparation. For pastors and all preachers, we soon develop a system that works for us. Because of the worship schedule of my congregation, JOY!, I have two sermons to prepare each week. I start working on Wednesday’s on Monday. Only when it is completed and gone over at least once do I even look at the biblical text for Sunday’s sermon. I am somewhat anal about not starting something new until I finish what I’m working on. In other words, I don’t multi–task. That is good, although perhaps frustrating, information for my congregational leaders! I may or may not start working on Sunday’s sermon on Wednesday. I once had a retired pastor/mentor/friend who told me that when he was in ministry, if he didn’t have Sunday’s sermon finished by Wednesday, he might break out in hives. When I told him my routine, I worried he might have a stroke!

Yesterday, before I left the house for church, I did what I always do. I went out on the back porch with my sermon to read it out loud. I always look around so as not to embarrass myself or lead my neighbors to think I am certifiably nuts. “The coast is clear”, I said to myself. The topic of the sermon was on Juneteenth, the African American observance of the end of slavery in America. It just so happens our next-door-neighbor is black. It also just so happened that he was outside, probably in earshot. I self-consciously shut up. But later, in reflection, I thought, “He might have welcomed what I had to say.”

We have all had times when we have needed to extract our size-8 leather-soled footwear from our oral cavity! Words spoken in anger or carelessness. Over-the-fence gossip which was uttered in confidence. Is there a comparable Hippocratic oath for speech – “do no harm”?”   I try to abide by my father and Thumper’s advice: “if ya can’t say nuffin nice, don’t say nuffin at all.”  “Speaking the Truth in Love” and “Assertive Communication” are two titles staring at me from my bookshelf.

The guidance of Scripture is “may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing and acceptable to You, my strength and my Redeemer.” That may be good for you to keep on the front burner of your mind. We know that in Him is plenteous mercy and unconditional love.

Pastor Art