The Daily Ricky

An Unexpected Reaction

It was our 2nd pastorate, we had been there 6 months.

A wonderful couple in the church, who had been married 40 or 50 years had suffered a horrendous health issue.

The woman had suffered a massive stroke and had to be put in the nursing home.

The old gentleman was doing the best he could but, the medical bills were too much.

One Sunday night as I was about through preaching, I felt led by the Holy Spirit to take up a love offering for him.

I had no time to talk to the deacons, so I told the people give if they could and if not now, the following Sunday
I never thought in my widest dreams that anyone would get mad, boy was I wrong!

As I was leaving the church, the head deacon rushed up, poked his finger hard as he could in my chest and said; don’t ever do that again without talking to me!

I’m a fairly calm guy but, I got real upset. I poked him in the chest and said, sir I suggest you kneel and pray with me in this parking lot or I will be forced to use you as a punching bag!

To my surprise, he calmly knelt and we prayed.

It was only by the grace of God, I reacted like that I was a brown belt and am not intimadated by anyone but, I had to be a leader and someone who leads a flock. How would it look if I got pur in jail for fighting.

You never know how you will react, only your relationship with the Lord will tell. Pray for restraint, your actions affect others as well as you.

Lord it is only by grace that we act as You want us to. Help us to reprepresent You honorably. Amen!!!


RL