And the Lord sent Nathan to the District President. He came to him and said, "A rich man had
a daughter with tuberculosis. He married
her to a man, but the man fell sick with her disease and died. So the rich man married her to another man,
who also contracted her infection and he died.
Five times this happened until the rich man could find no other suitors willing
to marry his daughter. So the rich man
went to one of his servants and said to him, 'Marry my daughter or you will starve." The servant protested, saying, "But
master, surely if I do this, I will be like those men before me, falling ill
and dying in my youth. The rich man
responded, “Surely not! I give my word
that, if you love her enough and be patient with her, my daughter’s disease
will not take your life as it did those men before you.”
The District President’s anger was greatly kindled against
the rich man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, this man will never
arrange another marriage because he showed no mercy or wisdom.”
Nathan said to the District President, “You are the man.”
These words are not aimed at all men who wear the title "LCMS District
President." I thank the Lord for those men who have defended the
shepherds under their care when they were attacked. And I pray that He may grant us many more men to join the ranks of the faithful.
