Out Of Touch

I fiend of mine recently ended up at a retreat attended by pastors though he is not a pastor. He told me how burdened he grew listening to those pastors talk. They talked theology, church strategies, books they had written or read and so forth. He told me the longer he listened the more it seemed those pastors were out of touch.

Out of touch with the families struggling to make financial ends meet each month. Out of touch with the distraught parents at their wits end with rebellious children. Out of touch with those battling health issues who cannot find relief. Out of touch with those struggling with real life addictions and temptations. Out of touch with the overworked and stressed out parents who can barely find time for sleep much less reading and studying the Bible. Out of touch with the real world and real people in it.

Jesus was certainly not out of touch. He walked among the people. He talked with them. He touched them. He listened to their cares. He loved them. He taught things that made a difference to them and He comforted them in their distress.

How easy it is for the pastor, the church member, the Christian to lose touch with people. To get locked behind a prison of religious people, carefully crafted routines and holy huddles so much and often that you can lose touch with lost people. You can lose touch with their hurts, snuggles, point of views and priorities. Right now can you name the name of a lost person you are know and are actively trying to lead to Jesus?

Shouldn't we all desire to follow the model of Jesus in connecting with all kinds of people and willingly speak truth to them. If we do not model Jesus' example we and our local body of believers can very easily lose touch with the very communities we live in. We can lose touch with the very people Jesus died to save. May that not happen.