Painting God with a Soft Stroke
By Norman Hagley, pastor, First Christian Church, Danville, Ky.
As I read the New Testament, Luke 18:35 - 43, I am struck with the realization that Jesus almost always painted God with a soft stroke. That means we need to reveal God by the tenderness in our relationships with others. Few situations arise where we cannot paint a picture of God with a soft stroke. A great illustration comes from Ian Maclaren's preacher story, "St. Jude's."
"Carmichael was the minister at the Free Kirk of Drumtochty. This was a village congregation, famous for having had a long line of preachers who had gone on and up to fill the most commanding pulpits in all of Scotland. Carmichael was very young, and his ministry was, as it should be, the passion of his life. Every sermon was a high adventure.
"Of late, he was low of spirit for he realized his sermons had not been up to the high standards he had set for them. His memory had played him false and he had halted and stumbled. He imagined, too, that the people of the Kirk were fully aware of his plight.
"On this particular Sabbath day, Carmichael, following the service of worship, had come to the vestry, flung himself in a chair, the picture of dejection. He had had a hard time with the sermon. He put his head in his hands and agonized.
"There was a knock on the door of the vestry, and when he opened it, lo, it was the Elder of the Session, who was chiefly loved and respected. Carmichael greeted him courteously but he knew by instinct the Elder was there on an important errand, and readily guessed what it might be.
"Now the Elder addressed himself directly to the minister. 'It is six months since you entered upon your ministry among us, and you will not be angry with me if I am saying to you that you are very young to have so heavy a weight upon you, for there is no burden like the burden of souls.' Carmichael marveled at the courtesy with which the Elder presented the petition of the Session.
"The Elder went on: 'There is just one other thing that the brethren laid upon me to say... you are never to be troubled in the pulpit, or be thinking about anything but the work of the Lord and the souls of the people of which you are shepherd. We will ask you to remember when you stand in your place to speak to us in the name of the Lord, that as the smoke goeth up from the homes of the people in the morning, so will their prayers be ascending for their minister, and as you look down upon us before you begin to speak, maybe you will say to yourself next Sabbath, 'They are all loving me.' Oh, yes, and it will be true from the oldest to the youngest. We will all be loving you very much.'
"The Elder left immediately and so gently Carmichael did not hear his going. The young minister sank back, weak and broken but with a vast peace flooding his soul."
That's painting God with a soft stroke! That's the way we want to be - gentle, kind, compassionate, considerate. When you go home, paint a picture of God with a soft stroke on the canvas of someone's life.
Editor's Note: Every year in Danville, KY, on a weekend of June, the community sponsors The Great American Brass Band Festival. On the Sunday morning of that weekend, a church service is conducted and a local pastor delivers the sermon. This is a shortened version of Rev. Hagley's sermon last June.