Which one are you?

There are occasions when we preach where we feel gifted and equipped for the job. On others, however, we feel acutely aware of our own shortcomings and wonder whether we are up to the task. Tonight I shall be addressing a group of 100 or so teenagers on the subject of self-image and God-image, and I have to say that my self-image is distinctly lacking!

Do you remember Roger Hargreaves’ little books on the Mr Men? On different occasions as a preacher I identify with different ones amongst their number. Sometimes I am:

Mr Bump: clumsily crashing into people’s feelings and stumbling over the text.

Mr Small: feeling overwhelmed by the task in hand and hoping to hide behind the pulpit, or the Bible or something

Mr Topsy-Turvy: getting my week all back to front and taking too much time on some things and too little on others

Picture:dpquiz.co.uk

Mr Tickle: wanting to reach out right into the congregation with those long flexible arms

Mr Happy: glad to be doing what I’m called to do

Mr Uppity: with an undue sense of my own importance

You can find the full list here. Which one are you?

When I first started training to preach at Spurgeon’s College, I had some initial meetings with the college speech therapist. She noticed that I tended to lean downwards to one side, as if embarrassed by my height and trying to disguise it. She would stand at the back of the College chapel and shout at me “stand tall for Mr God, Richard – stand tall!”

In the end, when it comes to preaching – it’s only really Mr God who matters, isn’t it?