What is a smart alec preacher? According to Webster's Dictionary, a smart alec is: an obnoxiously conceited and self-assertive person with pretensions to smartness or cleverness. Take the above definition and just substitute the word preacher for person and you have the definition of a smart alec preacher. As I was surfing the channels early this morning listening in to some different preachers before heading to church, my wife asked me the following question..."Why do so many preachers talk to the congregation or group they are speaking to with such a condescending and superior attitude?" I said, "You mean, why are so many preachers smart alec?" "Exactly", she replied. This brief conversation got me to thinking. So here are a couple of thoughts...

1) The people we (preachers) speak to are not fortunate that we would take the time to speak the "Word" to them, but rather it is us (the preachers) who are fortunate that they would take the time to drive all the way to our church and listen to what we have to say.

2) I know we have all been indoctrinated (again I am referring to us preachers) to believe that the people we are speaking to should give us the utmost respect because afterall... "We are God's anointed." Though there is a ton of truth in that whole respect the preacher deal, the people that we are priveleged to speak to deserve respect as well and we should talk to them accordingly.

3) Many of the people we are speaking to are wayyyy smarter than us (again us preachers), so we shouldn't talk to them like they are stupid.

4) We (preachers) should remember that our breath stinks in the morning when we wake up just like the "common people" that we will be speaking to in a couple of hours. Point? We are normal people just like anybody else and we need to remember that or God will help us remember it.

So, next time you are about to walk out of your office (the Holies of Holies) and walk down the hall and into the auditorium to deliver your message...look in the mirror first and notice that you too have pimples and your breath probably stinks bad enough to warrant a breath mint and remember that when you step behind the pulpit to preach! If you are a preacher or minister and you are bothered by what I am saying and may even think that I am a little smart alec...remember this feeling! Peace out!