How beautiful the hands that served...!

I dedicate this blog to our Dear Achen Ninan & our Dear Pastor Sherwin...! Pastor, We appreciate you!

October.. is the 'CLERGY APPRECIATION' month! I am glad somebody had dedicated this WHOLE month for appreciating our pastors, instead of just one day! That shows us that one day is not enough to appreciate the Pastors!

Why should we appreciate our Pastors? The reasons are so many; I know I am trying a 'failure attempt' to write only a few things; they mean more than what these words can express!

While they are sick, they visit church members who are sick, to utter the words of assurance and healing, showing no signs of their own sufferings!

While they grieve for their personal situation, they go and celebrate the joyous occasion of the church members, showing no signs of their own pains!

While they need several helping hands, I have noticed, they go out and help the needy, showing no signs of self-needs, but just pointing to other's needs!

While they are 'stoned at' for anything they did, they pray for me and love me, as if I did nothing wrong against them.. oh boy.. this means a lot to me!

While they toil day and night to prepare the sermon and deliver it on Sundays, I just summarize them in one line saying 'it is not an effective sermon', because they don't use technology..! I apologize; I no more try summarize the sermons, but I just surrender & submit in His presence!

While the whole city was 'stand-still' during the ice storm, they went out, driving on the risky-icy-slippery roads, to pray for me and help me out; I told them 'I am contagious' they said, that is fine! I thought they are crazy.. Yes! They are! For your sake!

While I complained about their leadership style, they exemplified the servant leadership, 'do not follow men', 'just follow Jesus', a better way to Christian Maturity..!

While they were neither my friends, nor my family, but they act like one, leaving room for me to fail but learn, leaving room for me to be 'me', but follow Jesus!

While I stand 'TALL' and look down on them (some times), I realize the very reason I stand tall today, because they knelt and BEND down for me in their personal closet and prayed for me; And they continue to do it for others...! That is why I still see them kneeling in His presence..!

While I HIGHLIGHT their 'one' weakness among their 100 strengths, they were waiting to compliment me for the ONE thing I do right among the 100 things I do wrong! They are still waiting...! (Why did my eyes get wet as I write this....? They deserve my respect!)

While I am impatient, in-tolerant, proud and lethargic, they were patient, tolerant, and humble, in not just accepting me as I am, but continue to support me and teaching me 'His Purpose' for me...

This song comes to my mind when I think about them...

How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross - Twila Paris

They deserve our appreciation -everyday, they deserve our respect -all the time, they deserve our love un-conditionally, they deserve our helping hand- to lift up others, they deserve our support- in their loneliness, they deserve our faithfulness -in serving, they deserve our commitment to Christ ...after all that was their only aim to make us go there..!

Now it is your turn....! Take your phone and call them or take a blank sheet of paper and fill it with your heart felt thanks... a few tear drops...may wet the papers and I think it is fine, they are used to those moisture papers... ! To Any Pastors or missionaries who touched your life...! They deserve a 'THANK YOU' from you!