True country boys understand the complete folly of loosing track of wind direction during certain ... uh ... duties. Wet boots can be decitedly unpleasant.
Christian pastors often face a similarly futile chore. Everyone who has spent much time in church knows what it is like to deal with brethren who are wholly sanctified, and proud of it. In fact, they can't stand brethren who don't have perfect love.
Mere mortals believe that no one this side of heaven is perfect. But what do they know? The really mature saints have already put in their time doing the "grunt" work of lay ministry, so it's about time they were in charge ... as in accountable to no one.
Something is obviously wrong with that attitude, unless you're the one holding it. God has called countless young--and not-so young--pastors into His service as under-shepherds. His commission on these servants should be fairly simple: guard the flock from Satan's attack, and guide them into godliness. Simple, right? It's simple until they encounter brethren who are already godly, and have no use for any suggestion otherwise. If only they knew who they were.
It's often been said, "I is in the center of sIn." We know that's right, especially when applying it to those who need to hear it. You know who I'm talking about--them. The problem is, everyone who applies hard preaching to anyone but themselves isn't listening very closely. Whether speaking through His word, or through His man's preaching, God never speaks to others. So if any of the saints listens to preaching with one finger mentally pointed at someone else, he would do well to notice how many fingers are pointed back at himself.
Let God take care of them, and help keep the preacher's boots dry by minding your own sIn.
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