(From time to time we invite gifted and thoughtful rural church leaders to share their insights with us on The Covered Dish. The following article was graciously contributed by Rev. Chad Holtz, pastor of Marrow's Chapel UMC in Bullock, NC, and a student at Duke Divinity School. Chad also shares his sermons and his reflections on life and church on his blog, "Dancing on Saturday.")
Last week I underwent an emergency appendectomy: who knew that such a little part of the body could cause such big problems?
Ironically, on the morning of my surgery, I wrote a reflection on clergy health drawn from the Old Testament story of General Naaman in II Kings: about how sicknesses of the body can sometimes heal the spirit by stripping away our illusions of command and control. I had no idea at the time that hours later I would be laying on an operating room table. Pastors, be careful what you preach on Sunday, because you just might be putting it to the test on Monday.