cheese pastor

I was in the middle of a heart wrenching scene in the Chest Pain Center waiting room.  I was sitting with a wife of 65 years and her two daughter and their families.  The doctor came in with the sentence "I'm so sorry I have to tell you this......" The room erupted.  It was the day before Christmas Eve.


I began passing kleenex and patting backs and murmuring how sorry I was, when the door swung open and cheese pastor bounded in.  "Such a shame,  such a shame.  But he's in a better place.  A much better place. God needed him.  Yes oh yes, God needed him.  Grace of God, sister, Grace of God.  Make us strong, Jesus.  Reunion will be fantastic, won't it?  Hallelujah!  Grace of God, sister. Heaven is so close......"


I thought about killing him.  I thought about killing myself so I didn't have to listen to him.  I thought about how much work it must have taken for him to memorize the entire "Bad Pastor Cliche" book.  I thought about how my coworkers would shake their heads when hearing these phrases again.


After about 15 minutes, cheese pastor insisted we pray.  We had to hold him off a couple minutes as more family arrived and the doctor came to speak to the family again.  Then cheese pastor rounded us up into a circle, instructed us to hold hands and launched into the holy talk with God again.


But in the middle of the prayer cheese pastor said these words.  "God, we don't know what to do right now.  This isn't fair.  All we know is that when we fall apart You are big enough to catch us."  Wow. I didn't hear anything else.  I was too busy awing his wisdom.


It's a crazy world -where sometimes heros combust before our eyes, and villains save the day.  A world where cheese pastors say the most profound thing available while everyone else is speechless.  Go figure.


But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians 1:18