Jump directly to the Content

How Much Should I Let on?

They rambled into the room, talking, laughing, swapping stories, and slapping each other on the shoulder as men do when at ease.

As the deacons took their places, I cleared my throat. I was discouraged, I told them, because of dawdling attendance, lagging finances, and chronic fatigue. Our facilities needed renovation, but money was lacking. Our small staff was at odds, but I hadn't the energy to deal with it. Our growth had slowed, but I couldn't help it. My voice conveyed no anger, just weariness.

I noticed their smiles gradually dissolved like the fade-out of a poignant movie scene. Shoulders sagged. By the end of our meeting, they listlessly filed from the room like Job's comforters.

Well, at least I was transparent and honest, I thought. I lowered my mask and let them see what was really in my heart. I enabled them to peek through the window of a pastor's soul.

Ha!

All I did, I soon realized, was infect them with discouragement as effectively as Typhoid Mary unwittingly spread her dreaded ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
10 Commandments of Scripture Interpretation
10 Commandments of Scripture Interpretation
Skye Jethani's simple guidelines for engaging the Bible and avoiding unhelpful controversy.
From the Magazine
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Controversy over Bibles in Jamaica, the Philippines, and Germany reveal the divide between the sacred and the relatable.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close