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Before Don Rickles, There Was Martin Luther
It’s been said that if you’re in the ministry, you need to have a soft heart and the skin of a Rhino.
Young pastor’s will find out very soon in their ministry how monstrous church members can be at times. They will find themselves insulted, lambasted, criticized up one side and down another and maybe even threatened.
Truth is, folks can be downright harsh at times, so get used to it my ministry peeps.
To that end, and to make you smile while getting a smidge tougher, here’s a website that will serve up a memorable insult from none other than Martin Luther, taken from one of his many writings.
Hit yourselves with a few of these each day and you’ll be handling those uncalled-for insults like water off a duck’s back.
Here’s a sample (and you thought I was harsh at times?)
People of your sort are hirelings, dumb dogs unable to bark, who see the wolf coming and flee or, rather, join up with the wolf.
From Against Latomus, pg. 146 of Luther’s Works, Vol. 32
Enjoy. Oh, for the record, I do not suggest that you take on Luther’s characteristic use of the tongue.
5 Pt. Salt 
I like Don Rickles. I like Martin Luther. But it takes a wiser man than I to reconcile the above statements with Col:4-6 and Eph 4:29.
You’ve never known church members insulting a pastor or causing trouble in the church?
Oh yeah. Absolutely. I’ve seen church members abuse their leadership and each other. And Ive also, sadly, seen abusive pastors make those under their charge miserable. I’ve been abused by both churches and pastors. Perhaps you have been too. (I’m not complaing, just speaking the truth!) HOWEVER, in the years that I was preaching, before I became ill, I think I was generally treated better than I deserved, with deference and patience.
Can’t deny that I’ve seen little tyrants passing as Christians hunting and collecting the heads of pastors. What can I say? It’s a fallen world….and so many churches make the door to church membership (and leadership) too broad, encouraging men of questionable faith and character into deacon and teaching positions, Men who see themselves in control, and who see the new preacher they bring in every 3 or 4 years their employee.
That being said, and admitting that I appreciate much of what Luther wrote, I still find his sometimes excessive nasty rhetoric hard to defend or ignore.
So, all I meant in the post above is that I find the Scripture I posted and the darker roaring of Luther a bit at odds.
Agreed.