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The Doctor, The Lawyer And The Pastor Author Unknown

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I have noticed a curious phenomenon. When we visit the doctor, we expect the doctor to be frank and forthright with his or her diagnosis. If we have cancer, we expect them to tell us so without beating around the bush. We want to know everything about the disease, and although we want a doctor who speaks with some grace, we don't want any sugarcoating on it. Our life is at stake and we need all the information we can get, as well as the doctor's frank opinion about what we should do. What good would a doctor be if they thought, "I know John has cancer, but I can't tell him because he wouldn't want to hear the news. He might get upset."

When we go to a lawyer, we want the same frankness. We want him to accurately articulate the law and our options. We don't want him to beat around the bush. Our livelihood and maybe even our freedom are at stake.

But, when we go to the preacher, our expectations change. At stake is nothing less than our eternal soul and our eternal rewards in Heaven. Yet, when the preacher is blunt, when the preacher is frank, people get upset. There seems to be an expectation that the preacher will sugar-coat sin or hold back. What the preacher has to say is far more important than what the doctor has to say, and many times more important than what the lawyer has to say, but when he speaks in specifics and calls sin, "sin," folks get upset.

Can you imagine getting mad at the doctor because he tells you that you have cancer? Yes, you may be upset that you have cancer, but why be upset with the messenger that told you about it. Instead, we are grateful to the messenger for telling us about the disease and how to fix it.

Let's give the preacher the same respect we give to the doctor and lawyer. Let's go to him expecting him to be frank and specific. Let's not give him the impression that he has to be vague or avoid certain subjects in order to keep us in church.

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