"Ministry Mis-spake"

Now and again I have to catch myself so I don't make a "mistake" or shall I say "Ministry Mis-spake". Several times last year I thinking about how close I was to "saying it as it is" - e.g. asking people who may not be "behaving" the way I/others expect: "What's wrong with you?"


I'll be surprised if I'm the only Mrs Pastor that feels that way...I know I'm not. I know because I shared my internal dilemma with one or 2 of my Mrs Pastor friends and they felt similar.


I know that there is a time to say such things - as a Reality Check for the individual - or maybe for myself and my expectations however, I also know that I must choose my words very carefully so I don't misspeak and end up with a "Ministry mis-spake". As we know, words have the power of life and death and once spoken, they are spoken. As far as I know, the only thing better than apologizing for saying the wrong thing, is not saying the wrong thing at all.


While still "speaking" about speaking (pun intended), another thing that can trap any Mrs Pastor is when people - including current, past or even non-members of the church - come to talk to you about someone else. Rather than listen and give sound Spiritual advice or shut down the "conversip" (my coinage of a conversation intertwined with gossip), she contributes to the conversation/conversip and even spreads it. We must be really careful that we are never a source or "fuel"; Proverbs 26:20 reminds us that:

Where there is no fuel a fire goes out; 

where there is no gossip arguments come to an end. (CEV)

I guess that the reason why God wanted me to share this is that as women we are really susceptible to "speaking." This is not to say that our husbands are not but I'm sure you know that Pastors have more "latitude" than Mrs Pastors when they say things; hence God wants us to avoid "Ministry mis-spakes" for our own good - and of course for the good of others.
Whatever you say and whenever you speak "Let your conversation be gracious as well as sensible, for then you will have the right answer for everyone." (Colossians 4:6 - LB)