Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday April 20, 2006

In my article for Tuesday I quoted a line made famous by Kitty Wells in her breakout song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels." The line is simple, "Too many times men think that they are still single. This has caused many a good girl to go wrong." I changed the line a little to state too many preachers etc make the same mistake.

The following was sent by a friend in response to the piece sheds light on part of the problem in Christian work:

'To many times we forget that even though we are Preachers we are still human and need to look out for the very things we warn the folks about. An old preacher was asked one day (he was 92) "How old are you when you stop thinking about sex?" His answer, "I don't know son, you will have to ask someone older than me."'

Over the course of my now long ministry I have tried to help numerous Christian worker couples who broke up and adultery was not the issue. In most cases the couples were totally out of the loop as far as daily Christian living. In one case the girl was so wrapped in her "Music Ministry" that she had no time for the hubby or the children. Men need a little tenderness too. In honesty, had I been married to a person with his type of personality I would certainly have permitted my 'ministry' to keep me away too!

Often we think that because many in our congregation or revival meetings following idolize us, the fact that we have a moment every now and then for the Little Woman should be enough for any non-selfish human. May I say that all of the degrees, all of the accolades heaped upon you by different groups will not comfort your little wife while she lies in bed alone yet another night, longing for your return only to be met with snide remarks about her weight, about the child crying and keeping you awake or why did SHE forget to take out the garbage, ad infinitum.

Now that Brokeback Mountain has shed light on some sheepherders, I am amazed at the tone of my mail from Christian workers wives wondering why when the hubby returns from 'ministry' with a certain man, he is always cranky and mean to her, why did the 'ministry' take him and him on vacations sans the wives. One actually turned out to a true blue Gay Cruise, accidentally of course. Sure!

My booklet, "The Brokeback Pulpit" will soon hit the mail and I am expecting fire and brimstone to fall as I simply share the stories of numerous women who suffered through a Brokeback relationship with Christian workers so called.

One lady in another country told me, "Dr, Lilly it doesn't really matter all that much, what really hurt was that ….. was always busy with something else or someone else, as though he was still single." Ah, echoes of Kitty Wells.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit

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