The Most Important Person in the World

I remember well the first time I met him. I had gone to visit the campus of Alabama Christian College, which was at the time transitioning into Faulkner University. I was there considering whether or not to enroll as a student.

I was the stereotypical, hardworking “country boy” gone to the big city.  I knew why I wanted to go to college—I wanted to be a preacher. I just didn’t realize at that point the extraordinary opportunity that lay before me.

Buddy Baker was the one who had invited me to drive to Montgomery for my visit, and so when I arrived, my first stop was the development office where he worked. At that time, the development office was in a brick house located near the current parking lot for the Harris-Parker Building which houses the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies.

After chatting with Buddy for a few minutes, he said, “Let me give Brother Winkler a call to let him know you are here.” After speaking with, I’m assuming, Sister Winkler, Buddy handed me the phone so that I could speak with Brother Winkler. I took the phone but no one was on the line. I waited, thinking he would pick up at any moment.

A few minutes passed, and a gentleman entered the development office. It was Brother Winkler. He had walked across campus on that hot, humid August day to greet me in person rather than on the phone!  Needless to say, that made me feel quite special and gave me my first impression of a great man who would profoundly influence my life.

Brother Winkler taught me a lesson that day about preaching and about people—and I hadn’t even officially enrolled as a student. What was the lesson you ask? Simply this—every person is important!  I was just a country boy who wanted to learn to preach. He was an accomplished preacher, writer, and head of a Bible Department at a university. He took some extra time out of his day and made an extra effort he did not have to make and it made me feel important and valuable.

Fellow preachers, how do you treat the people with whom you interact from day to day? Do you treat them like a bother or a brother? Do you act as though they are a pain rather than a person? Do you consider their soul rather than your schedule?  All of us understand that some folks would be just a little more likeable if they were a little more considerate. But regardless of their thoughtfulness or thoughtlessness we still can choose how we act toward them.

I’ve met fellow preachers who, to be honest, gave me the impression that they are on earth to be served rather than to serve. By their demeanor it almost appears they never read that Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). It is really no wonder that they are such moving preachers—doing so about every six months to two years!

For many years I have had a philosophy I have tried to practice. No matter who I am with, I try to esteem them, treat them, and make them feel as though they are the most important person in the world. I try to regard my time with them as the most important thing I have to do at that time.  When people sense this in your disposition, they are more likely to listen when you try to teach them, and are more apt to respond positively when you are forced to rebuke or correct them.

In reality, this is plainly a part of being Christ-like. Paul illustrated the significance that others should have in our lives with the fact that Jesus considered me (and each one of us) more important than the things He had in heaven with the Father (Philippians 2:3-8).  How remarkable is it that Jesus Christ loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20)!  We should be stricken with awe over this and be more than willing to do the same for others!

No, I will never forget the first time I met him. He taught me a lot about being a preacher that day when he made me feel like the most important person in the world. Will you try to do the same for someone today?

-Mark Howell