'Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.’ Proverbs 13:20
The above piece of wisdom struck home to me this week when Ronnie and I attended the funeral of one of our very closest friends. Margaret was for me one of the finest people I have ever known and to have played a small part in her coming to faith was a gift to me as much at to her. I regularly tell people that Margaret gave me the greatest compliment ever about my gifts of faith sharing. She once said, “John, thank you for showing me that you can be a Christian and still have fun!” She was a very wise, gutsy and dear friend whose loss has affected me more deeply than I could
have imagined.
I guess this is so because Margy was more than a friend; she was one of my greatest supporters and prayer warriors. Sadly in this line of business you can get knocked about a little more than you might expect and it is always good to know that certain special people have you covered. The older and (hopefully) wiser I get, the more I am valuing the company of good and wise friends and the more I am trying to be a similar friend to others.
One of the marks of my ministry I am told is my openness and transparency. This is good because it is one of the things that I believe in very deeply. However I do understand why people in ministry leadership may tend not to be open and transparent. Putting it simply; hurt and disappointment is normal and distance is a way to avoid it. In any relationship, the person who gets hurt the most will be the one who loves the most.
So what is the secret to my staying in a very difficult ministry role? It has a great deal to do with the grace of God who thinks more highly of me than I do; but it is also that over the years I have harvested some very significant wise, loving and prayerful friends. It is a small circle but is a powerful one!
Of course there is another circle of friends that I am greatly thankful for and this particular group is one that is beyond corruption and rather than in danger of diminishing, it continues to grow. We find a clue to this group in the Book of Hebrews chapter 12:
‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us ..’
These are my balcony people. These are the saints who have touched me over the years and are now in glory standing on the balcony of my life and cheering me on. I have to tell you that is some cheer squad!!
If someone were thinking of going into ministry my first advice would be to pray really hard and then I would advise them to gather some good and wise friends. My guess is that it will not be a very large group at all. At any given time mine would rarely – if ever - reach double figures.
In whatever we do in life we are always exposed to a wide network of people. As best as you know how, bring a spirit of acceptance and a transparent heart. Offer to everyone you meet – as best as you can – gifts of love and grace. Along the way you will bump into fools and occasionally be a fool yourself; but keep good company with the wise it will be an excellent investment.
I hope that the great cloud of witnesses enjoy a glass of red Margaret!
Grace and peace - John
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