This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot talks with Dr. Richard Caldwell about his life in marriage and ministry work. Dr. Caldwell has been married and in pastoral ministry for nearly 40 years. He and his wife have raised four children and currently have eight grandchildren. As he looks back, Dr. Caldwell is able to reflect on the many things he has learned over these years the Lord has given him in marriage and ministry. Dr. Philpot asks him to share some advice he would give his younger self regarding the ministry of pastoring, marriage, and raising children. Additionally, Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to share a few lessons he has learned that he could pass on to others.

Dr. Caldwell says looking back at his younger years, he sees, what he calls, a lot of living being done in the future. He shares there was always this thinking about where you wanted to get to and what you wanted to do, resulting in a seemingly hurriedness to arrive and already be at the desired destination. So one of the things he would share would be the importance of enjoying the time and living in the moments that lead up to that time. This applies to all these areas Dr. Philpot has mentioned. Tied to this would be patience in all three realms also. He explains that there is a tendency for us, as younger individuals, to be impatient. We will often treat little things like they are big things, making things more important than they really are. We need to learn to walk through things more calmly and understandingly in order to love others well.

Dr. Caldwell shares that there is nothing more glorious, miraculous, and amazing than simple faithfulness. He says that when you can look back and see what God has provided over time, it will blow you away. If he could exhort younger men than himself, he would exhort them to be faithful in all they do. It is a faithful daily pursuit of the Lord that pays off long-term, and the joys are multiplied in ways you could not imagine. But this only happens one moment, one day, one decision at a time.

Another thing he shares is that young men tend to be competitive, maybe even to the degree of bits of jealousy here and there. But over time, as you grow and mature, what you learn is the joy of watching others flourish. You have the privilege of watching their gifts and influences be maximized. There is joy in teamwork, and whatever role you have on that team, it’s the team that matters. Of course, ultimately, as believers, we know it’s the glory of God that matters. But working together as a team really matters. If we can get this into our hearts early, it will save us a lot of heartaches, and instead will bring us a lot of joy.

The third lesson Dr. Caldwell says is hard and even sad to have to say. He tells us that sometimes when you are young, you can feel like the ministry is privileged to have you. Later on, you’ll learn that the right attitude and response is that you have been privileged to be in the ministry. This is the right perspective, says Dr. Caldwell, and we want to get this sooner than later.

Lastly, he explains that these same truths apply to marriage. Often times we think too highly of ourselves, thinking our spouse is blessed to have us. But as you get older, you recognize how blessed you are to have them. Dr. Caldwell shares that we need to find contentment and joy in those the Lord has given us. We must learn to appreciate these great gifts the Lord has given us in this life. All this carries over to raising children as well. What we find in this life is that there will be a lot of disruptions, a lot of work, a lot of expense, and a lot of busyness. But without these things, we would be poorer than we realize. So we want to recognize the blessings that God has given and be appreciative of them.