I always thought being a pastor would be the coolest job in the world. I would be sitting in a huge Gothic cathedral smelling incenses and lighting candles. Then I would be in prayer and from time to time someone would come in seeking guidance from me a "holy man". Then I would listen to the troubled soul as reflective as a Buddhist Monk and after listening I would speak with the passion and depth of wisdom as Yoda of Star Wars! Sending them off with "May the Force be with you young Jedi".
Well, sounds great does it not? But in reality, it was a very busy life full of go-go-go and not much time of reflection and no big Gothic cathedral to walk around in and write sermons just a small rural church the size of your living room. Always short notices to perform a wedding (God forbid we take time to have pre-marriage counseling) and the hospital visits for people who did not ever darken the door of any church but expected you to come and pray over them. About the only thing planned for was funerals!?! Then I would hear, "they did not believe in God but they were a good person". I would think to myself "you could have called your local shaman to say a few spells"!
I would get time with people who needed to talk about a problem and when I would share what God's Word, the Holy Bible, would say about the issue at hand they would tell me that is not the answer they were looking for and needed to go talk to the pastor at their sister's church and see what he has to say. Oh, I am so sorry maybe I should have looked up an answer in the Koran or the Bhagavadgita or checked your Horoscope! I was under the impression that you were a Christian and wanted a Christian answer, my bad!
Planning programs was interesting because everyone would say what a great idea, the church needs this, etc... and then I would do the work and sit in the church for no one, yes, no one to show up to participate in said program. The following Sunday I would hear more excuses than a judge in traffic court. But the old saying about "you can please some of the people some of the time but you cannot please everyone all of the time" could not be truer of being a pastor, minister, reverend, or rabbi!
But there were good times of joy and happy tears and times of affirmation that would make up for the rough times. If I could go back in time I would change a few things but not much for the joy of being a pastor was a great experience and time of serving the Lord in all my humble ways. Teaching and preaching were my strong points and hospital visits a close second. The point I really wanted to make was that being a pastor is really more about being in the trenches with your sleeves rolled up trying to be the hands and feet and eyes and ears and heart of God to a hurting world.
Well, sounds great does it not? But in reality, it was a very busy life full of go-go-go and not much time of reflection and no big Gothic cathedral to walk around in and write sermons just a small rural church the size of your living room. Always short notices to perform a wedding (God forbid we take time to have pre-marriage counseling) and the hospital visits for people who did not ever darken the door of any church but expected you to come and pray over them. About the only thing planned for was funerals!?! Then I would hear, "they did not believe in God but they were a good person". I would think to myself "you could have called your local shaman to say a few spells"!
I would get time with people who needed to talk about a problem and when I would share what God's Word, the Holy Bible, would say about the issue at hand they would tell me that is not the answer they were looking for and needed to go talk to the pastor at their sister's church and see what he has to say. Oh, I am so sorry maybe I should have looked up an answer in the Koran or the Bhagavadgita or checked your Horoscope! I was under the impression that you were a Christian and wanted a Christian answer, my bad!
Planning programs was interesting because everyone would say what a great idea, the church needs this, etc... and then I would do the work and sit in the church for no one, yes, no one to show up to participate in said program. The following Sunday I would hear more excuses than a judge in traffic court. But the old saying about "you can please some of the people some of the time but you cannot please everyone all of the time" could not be truer of being a pastor, minister, reverend, or rabbi!
But there were good times of joy and happy tears and times of affirmation that would make up for the rough times. If I could go back in time I would change a few things but not much for the joy of being a pastor was a great experience and time of serving the Lord in all my humble ways. Teaching and preaching were my strong points and hospital visits a close second. The point I really wanted to make was that being a pastor is really more about being in the trenches with your sleeves rolled up trying to be the hands and feet and eyes and ears and heart of God to a hurting world.
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Be kind and gracious.