Following a morning as guest preacher at a large suburban church, I was approached by a member whom I had spotted during the second morning service. He had been sitting on the very front pew. A large man, he left hardly any room for other persons on the short pew near the chancel. He was not poorly dressed but did present a generally disheveled look, as if appearance were at the bottom of his list of personal priorities. All smiles, he approached me with a hug and the following greeting: "Hey brother! All morning long people have been congratulating me on what a great sermon I preached at the 9:00 service. You and I must be twins."

There were few things I wished to hear less. For months I had been involved in a rigorous program of exercise and had taken off 20 pounds. I try to dress appro…