Pastoral work consists of modest, daily, assigned work. It is like farm work. Most pastoral work involves routines similar to cleaning out the barn, mucking out the stalls, spreading manure, pulling weeds. This is not, any of it, bad work in itself, but if we expected to ride a glistening black stallion in daily parades and then return to the barn where a lackey grooms our steed for us, we will be severely disappointed and end up being horribly resentful.
Routine and realism. Both invaluable insights, it seems to me.
Do you think, secretly and maybe even concealed from ourselves, we all struggle with this? In a sense, we would settle for that if we could get it, at least sometimes?
ReplyDeleteI think it's a reality check I needed very early on in ministry. And one that I stil find I need.
ReplyDelete