Spiritual Sandpaper

[Cow Poke]

About 20 years ago, I had a nice older lady in my Church approach me and she asked if she could tell me something. I sensed that this was one of those things that was more than just "I enjoyed your sermon", so I motioned for her to sit down, and we sat on the front pew (at the conclusion of the morning service).

She smiled, and said, "I believe I am your Spiritual Sandpaper". She caught me off guard, as she knew she would. I asked, "Spiritual Sandpaper?"

She nodded, and continued - "there are a lot of people who will pat you on the back and be friendly and tell you things you want to hear. But there are also things you need to hear from time to time that are not so pleasant. I know I can be obnoxious and blunt and sometimes even appear rude, but if you will allow it, I believe God will work through me to make you a better Pastor". Then she told me she had to go, and she left me pondering "Spiritual Sandpaper".

The more I thought about it, the more I realized it's not always pleasant to have our rough edges knocked off, or our rough spots smoothed over. But that doesn't mean we don't need it. And it's not always our best friends who tell us what we need to know. And we DO seem to be a bit defensive sometimes, or shrug off something somebody says that we might think hurtful or insulting or less than positive. But in my heart, I knew I had a real opportunity here to learn some things that might help me in my Ministry.

The next time I saw her, I approached her and said, "Mrs Williams - I have been thinking about the Spiritual Sandpaper, and I really do like that idea". She smiled, and said, "but you can call me Sandy". I laughed... "because you are SANDpaper?". She smiled and said, "no, because that is my name."

Over the next 8 or 9 years, I included her in Church Council and several other committees, and always encouraged her to speak her mind. She was firm, honest, but never mean. She told me some things at times that humbled me, or made me think about something I had said or done.

Ever since then, in subsequent Churches, I find somebody who's a little bit brusque or maybe not so polite, and I think, "Lord, is this my Spiritual Sandpaper?" The whole point is -- it isn't just our friends or parents or people who love us who can shape us. If we allow it, we can have our rough edges knocked off by people we might otherwise avoid.

Some of you here on Tweb have been Spiritual Sandpaper to/for me. God Bless you. And I mean that sincerely.

[Soyeong]

Tofu can double as fine sand paper in a jiffy.

[Cow Poke]

Tofu can double as fine sand paper in a jiffy.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me Soyeong as my Spiritual Sandpaper.