Guidance

It's amazing the difference a little time and genuine attention make to a relationship. Finally today we met with a priest who treated us like people, people with a story to tell. On top of it all, he actually wanted to hear that story, to ask questions about us, our past, and our current relationship. The fact that he offered his own stories and experiences, above and beyond the requirements of his ecclesiastical position, well that pretty much sealed it for us. After interactions with ministers who didn't seem truly interested in us, (and yet interested in counselling us), it's nice to be building a relationship with someone willing to invest himself in the whole thing too. How is it that some pastors, priests, whatever, go through their job looking only at the bottom line, avoiding the story behind the person? How is it then that others are able to slow themselves down enough to talk to real people, to inquire about their story, to be fascinated by the way in which God is moving in their lives, and to offer of themselves as part of the entire exchange? What makes the difference? Is it their training? The number of counselling courses they've taken? Their interaction with scripture? What is it that makes some pastors good spiritual guides, and others, people you'd not trust when push came to shove?