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            Recently, at Polishing the Pulpit in Branson, I heard Steve Higginbotham speak on the subject, “Looking Over the Preacher’s Shoulder.” This lesson asked the question, “Have you ever wondered what the life of a preacher is like?” It was a “behind the scenes” look at the life of a preacher.
            This was a great lesson for a number of reasons. Steve did a marvelous job with it. Nobody could have done it better. Perhaps I appreciated it so much, in part, because this year marks 50 years that I have been preaching; 44 of those years in full-time local work.
            When I was in college I remember my teachers sometimes saying, “If you can do anything else, don’t preach.” I know there are tentmaking preachers. That’s good. And I am always intrigued when I hear of men who will give up lucrative secular careers in order to preach. He and his family will step away from a hefty salary in order to live on whatever support he may receive as a preacher of the gospel.
            Steve addressed the sophomoric comment that people (either seriously or in jest) will make: “You only work three hours a week.” His reply to that comment was much more gracious than mine would be. He said, “Yes, and I get to brag about Jesus.” My reply to those who say that is that they couldn’t do this work if their lives depended on it, and we very likely would not want them to! Regrettably, people cannot see the enormity of the iceberg that lies hidden from view.
          Why do I preach? Here are Steve’s points:

  1. “I get to be a tool in God’s providence.” Perhaps more than most people. I get to partner with God in the most important work in the world!
  1. “I get a front row seat to changed lives.” That is, I get to work with people in their spiritual endeavors and growth. I get to study with people and hopefully assist them in the most important decision they will make in life; that of putting Jesus on in baptism. I get to be in their lives in a significant way. Yes, God saves, but we are his tools.
  1. “I get to invest my life in things that matter.” Our works will follow us into the judgment.
  1. “I get to leave a legacy to my family.”
  1. “I get to share the good news.” Who doesn’t like to do that!?
  1. “I get to create ripple effects in people’s lives.” My work does not end with any one person I may help. That is, when I teach one person the gospel it doesn’t stop with them. It goes on to those that they may teach. That ripple effect can go on down the line in their family, or amongst their friends, perhaps for generations to come.
  1. “I get to use my life to say, ‘Thank you’ to God.” If I had a thousand lives to live on this earth I would do it all again!