Preacher Watching

You see them anytime you go to the mall, a park, a ballgame. Men. Just sitting and people watching. You have to wonder what goes through their minds.

I do my share of watching too. But for me, it’s not people watching, it’s preacher watching. It’s so neat! I get to see a lot of them. We hear from them, their hurts, their victories, their struggles, their concerns, and their joys. But, that’s listening. I’m talking about watching.

I love to watch the preacher at work. On Sunday morning, he’s greeting families as they walk in the door. He’s stooping down to hug a child, giving a fist-bump to a teenager, and encouraging a senior saint. He’s pumping folks up, laughing with people, sharing in their lives, speaking truth, and giving hope. In the hospital waiting room he quietly prays. At the graveside he gently comforts. At the fellowship hall he tells a joke and lightens the room.

There’s something beautiful about watching a man of God pour himself out week after week. Some do it with great energy, bounding from one person to the next. Others do it more softly, one quiet conversation at a time. Both are powerful. Both are needed.

When I watch, I’m reminded how much the church depends on these servants. Your words matter, but so do your smiles, your presence, your care. It encourages me for our future!

So let me encourage you, preachers—keep it up. Keep on loving. Keep on building up. In the midst of “life” you are doing well. And, if you are not a preacher reading this - let me encourage church members too: notice your preacher. Thank him. Pray for him. Encourage him.

Preacher watching—it’s one of the most inspiring sights I know.

Preacher watching, how fun!