Pastoral ministry has proved an immense source of blessing for me over the years. I have met so many wonderful people.

Everyone unique, all very different, but they have all enriched my life and shown me how to live a better life.  I’d like to share a few memories with you then, in the hope they will bless you too, as well as remind you that we can have a positive influence on the people we meet even if we’re not aware of it at the time.

I’ll begin with John. I met this remarkable gentleman (he was certainly a gentle man) when I was appointed the minister of my first church. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that I have never met anyone more generous. Indeed, my wife and I had to take great care whenever we were talking to him because you only had to say you ‘liked’ something and you would be given it – immediately!  John was convinced that God loves ‘cheerful givers’ and in so doing he discovered that being generous and practising acts of kindness will make us happier, if only because it shows us that we can make a difference in other peoples’ lives.

John frequently offered me wise advice such as the time he cryptically observed ‘you don’t have to explain to your friends and your enemies will never believe you anyway’!  I can still vividly remember the Sunday morning he shared that truism with me as we left church together.

Tony was another very special man. He was a lovely Christian but not the kind of believer who wanted to occupy a pulpit or share a public platform. He was content to spend his time in the church porch welcoming all and sundry as they turned up for worship. Tony was never in the limelight then, but he simply glowed whenever anyone entered the church. His beaming smile and firm handshake left you in no doubt that he was delighted to see you, and I firmly believe that his welcome played as important a role in the growth of the church as my preaching. Tony embodied the truth that God is thrilled when people turn to Him, whatever their track record. He is by nature a ‘welcoming God’ who wants to extend His love and transforming power to everyone.

Then there was Nancy. I will always treasure the discussions we had about same sex relationships several decades ago.  It was obvious that she had never thought about this contentious issue until she met a gay couple who were travelling through town, and their relationship clearly didn’t chime with her traditional understanding of human sexuality. In fact in her opinion it contradicted it. 

But I can still vividly remember her words as she left our home following a Bible study one night. She smiled and in her distinctive Pembrokeshire accent said, ‘You’ve got to love ’em, boy’.

Nancy had grasped it. We may disagree with others, we may or may not think their behaviour is wrong but if we want to treat people as Jesus did we have to love them in the way Jesus did. That will mean treating them with respect and being kind to them even when we disagree with what they are doing or saying.