Angel In My Pocket (Part 2)

I hope you'll take the time to watch the clip above. This is a classic movie and I love it!

In this installment:

• Don't Get Involved In Town Issues
• If Everyone Was The Same
• Be Careful What You Preach

Don't Get Involved In Town Issues

When Andy arrived in town he found the town square awash in fights and brawls and jumps right into the fray. In the midst of the fight he gets hit in the jaw and crawls back to his car.

My obeservations: When the minister comes to town, the congregation rarely wants you to get involved in their town/political disputes. I mean it--they want you to observe but don't have an opinion about it.

I once spoke out on an issue and you would have thought I said something heretical. You are there to be seen (and only heard on Sunday)--you're not really a citizen of this place. Honestly!

If Everyone Was The Same

In the opening scenes the mother-in-law asks Sam "Are you going to stay?". Sam answers back "If everyone was the same, there wouldn't be any work for a minister to do".

My observations: No observations here--just through the line was funny.

Be Careful What You Preach

Griffith agonizes over his first sermon--not wanting to preach those which he's given before. He's inspired to speak about the violence he saw in the town square. You can guess it--it's not going to go well. He gives a barn burning sermon and calls them out in the service.

My observations: You must always be true to who you are and what your call is, but when you get the "word" and want to share it with passion, you'd better consider the ramifications of sharing such truth. It will cause some pain.

Congregations rarely ( I do mean rarely) want a minister to really speak the truth. The truth hurts and especially if the minister is new, they just don't want to hear it! Many ministries have been cut short because a minister has spoken truth. Andy begins his ministry on the wrong foot because he spoke truth--and they didn't want it.

Ok--so what are your thoughts?