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It happened twice in recent months and taught me a lesson about priorities.

I saw one lady at a political rally where she asked for support in an upcoming election. Her family joined our church when she was a child, and she reminded me, “Pastor, you baptized me at our church.” And I saw the second young lady at a 12-year-old football game. Her son and our grandson were on the same team. “You baptized me when I was a little girl,” she said.

Few things are as important as taking time for boys and girls and teaching them how to be Christians. Of course other leaders helped teach these girls, but I’m grateful I shared in the work.

But I remember in those days giving some of my time to other things.

We Baptists were having a disagreement about our shared future. One side thought we were drifting from scripture, and the other side thought we needed to be loyal to the schools that taught us and the institutions that nurtured us. Though I hold a high view of scripture, I found myself most often in the loyalist camp. I knew that sometimes our college and seminary teachers provoked us to think in their lectures, and we shouldn’t take out a few sentences and castigate these men. (However, several published these ideas, which made it harder for us to defend them.)

I remember gathering with groups of fellow pastors and talking about how we could protect our schools and institutions. We offered alternate slates of officers and debated motions and resolutions at Baptist meetings. All for very little, as it turned out.

Today these divisions are barely memorable.

I introduced a guest I’d invited to our local ministers’ conference when I was president, and in the introduction, I said he and I were on opposite sides 30 years ago. “But he’s a great pastor and he’s bringing many young people to Christ,” I said. “When our daughter contemplated going to the university in his town, I encouraged her to attend his church where she’d hear the truth and be loved.”

And my friend reciprocated with some kind words.

Pastors have many demands everyday. Sometimes evangelizing and discipling others get swept into lesser priority because of these many tasks.

Two adult Christ-followers helped me see that despite some time spent on other things that weren’t as important, I did find time on a few occasions to do the things that were most important.

Now I realize I’m in the autumn of life. One day opportunities will flee and influence will be gone. The most important legacy pastors and congregations can leave behind is a new generation who serve the Lord.

“Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.