Years ago I remember my pastor giving a sermon on forgiveness and bitterness. I was in college, still recently removed from a fairly nasty church situation, and, well, I was struggling a lot with bitterness. After church, I was talking with some friends when my pastor, who I was very close to and sometimes would banter with in a playful way, walked by, elbowed me, and said “that sermon was for you, Meador.” I winced, then laughed, and didn’t think much of it. I knew he loved me, I knew he cared about me and knew me deeply (far better than any other pastor had), and that these kind of playful jabs were part of how we sometimes related to each other.
true
Want to keep reading?
Subscribe for free to access this article and all of our resources.
I’m very grateful for the work of MO and have really appreciated the things I’ve learned and the companion that it has been for me on my spiritual journey.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
Thank you for offering thoughtful, reasonable and decent commentary. It is a boon to my sanity at this stage of my life in this cultural moment.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
Mere Orthodoxy is (for me) a counterpoint to social media, a place of depth and critical thought.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
You're in. Check your inbox.
Something went wrong. Try again.
Jake Meador
Jake Meador is the editor-in-chief of Mere Orthodoxy. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Commonweal, First Things, Books & Culture, National Review, Comment, Books & Culture, and Christianity Today. He is a contributing editor with Plough and a contributing writer at the Dispatch. He lives in his hometown of Lincoln, NE with his wife and four children.
.png?width=5000&height=2188&name=Mere%20Orthodoxy%20-%20Banner.png%20(1).png)
