In one of the churches I served after seminary, Granny Parker summed up what I sense is God’s way of helping us along in the church. Granny is home with Jesus now. In this world she wasn’t very impressive; she only completed about 5th grade in school. But she had a heart for God and a PhD when it came to prayer (p.h.d. praying higher and deeper). Her social skills were few – but she could get to the heart of the matter.
After I’d been at the church for five years, our Deacons threw a little celebration party to mark the occasion. Granny was asked to say a few words. She rose to her full 4’11” height, stood ramrod-straight and told about “My Pastor”; she said, Well, I remember the first time my Pastor, Bro. Russell, preached here. I thought to myself, O Lor’, am I a-gonna have t’ listen t’ that the rest o’ mah days? Then, you know what – he started a-growin’ on me; an’ I found I could understand him. He ain’t such a bad preacher after all. He got better.
Granny was right; I did get better. The reason I got better was Granny was praying for me, and I was working hard at getting better. That’s the way it is in the church, and especially with spiritual gifts – it’s a group project!