Reader Question- How to Share the Love

I shared your blog with some friends of mine, and their reaction was; "What do you care what some pastor thinks?" Normally that would've been my reaction as well, but I've always liked to read what you write. WHAT IS THIS DARK MAGIC YOU HAVE WROUGHT UPON ME!? -Perplexed
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It's possible you didn't mean for this to be a reader question, Perplexed, but now it is for two reasons. A) It brings up an interesting subject and B) It is INCREDIBLY well serving to my ego, and I had a rough night last night, so bring on the ego boosting!

It also gives me an excuse to talk about my grandfather Spencer.

Grandpa was a minister for the United Methodist Church. He was also, quite possibly, the most boring preacher I have ever heard in my life. Now this isn't to say that he was BAD... bad preaching can be VERY interesting, like watching a carwreck or being super-offended by something. No, Grandpa's preaching was kind, loving, theologically sound, and really nothing you hadn't heard before. Whats more, it was delivered in his soft, soothing, soporific tones. The same voice that was so brilliant at calming down a belligerent two year old was not quite the best at delivering moving rhetoric.

Now it only stands to reason that his churches would usually be glad to be rid of him, but they weren't. His churches all adored him (to be fair, pretty much everyone did) and were always sad when it was time for him to move on. When grandpa died, the church that hosted his funeral was packed to the gills with boatloads of people, all come to pay their respects.

Why? Because he was a genius of Pastoral Care.

Every last person in the pews knew, within months of him arriving, that he would be there when they needed him, in the hospital, in the funeral home, He would sit beside them, hold a hand in a way that made you feel like someone had put a warm blanket on you, and pray with that sense of depth that made you think he could move mountains.

That was why people loved him, and why they didn't complain about the preaching (at least never in my hearing, but I WAS his adorable grandkid.) He was there for them, he took care of them.

Newcomers to ANF are often a bit perplexed at the way I am received there. I would like to think that the reason I have become known as well as I am is at least somewhat because they know that if they need something, they can message me and I will talk to them about, whatever, and won't try to take advantage by evangelizing or anything like that.

Perplexed was likely joking, but in all honesty, that is the magic that I would guess I have wrought, and why people who don't know me don't get as excited about this blog as Nerdfighters from ANF might. I could be wrong about that, but hey, it's as good a reason as any.

But to those who are trying to think of ways to spread their faith, I think my Grandfather serves as an absolutely brilliant example. All the great rhetoric in the universe can go for naught if people couldn't give two shakes about what you have to say. But if they know you'll be there for them if they need you? If they know you care about them?

Then they'll be willing to listen to anything you have to say.