There’s nothing like bad news – especially when the news touches your own mortality, to give you a new perspective. Being a pastor I always thought that I understood people’s feelings and empathized with their sorrow. But that all changed within twenty-four hours. Not that I suddenly understand perfectly how people feel when they are facing difficult issues in life, but I certainly have a new perspective. Mary told me that she experienced the same thing.
Frank is a man in our church who has stage four lung cancer. He just found out a few weeks ago. I visited Frank in the hospital several times and when he returned home I went to his home to visit him and pray with him. I tried to be as understanding and sympathetic as I could be. I tried to comfort his dear wife who is understandably shaken by the sudden news. But somehow (I can see in retrospect) I don’t think that I really entered into their sorrow. I can sense that changing. Now that I face an uncertain future I hope that I can minister to Frank, who also faces the same uncertain future, in ways that I couldn’t before.
Whatever happens in my uncertain future (only uncertain to me, but not to God) I hope that my perspective will always be different and that I’ll be able to offer hope and encouragement to people in ways that I never could before.
