Vision with no I's

[dcook@GCTS]

"I thought they would appreciate me more..." I thought they would come to our Bible study..." "I thought that they would be at church every Sunday... " I thought people understood about tithing..." I thought they would want to try this new contemporary service..." I thought they would invite their family and friends to Sunday school..." I thought that they loved me..."And so that is what we get as Ministers for thinking...!

I recently preached a service about being a Parent, and our refrain throughout the service was, "I did the best I could with what I had." The reality is being a parent is demanding and rewarding. But let's face it, by the time that kids get to be teens they are thinking for themselves, we move more from an authoritarian position to a suggestive posture. And as our kids earn the widening of our parental parameters, we realize that our part in the parental role pretty much falls to loving our kids continually and unconditionally. And be the one who helps pick of the pieces for the choices that our kids have erroneously made. Even with great kids we have to use the refrain--I did the best I could with what I had.
And so why should we think that being a pastor would be any less demanding.
I love the quote in this chapter, "We should embrace the realities of a growing flock without remorse and pay careful attention to our changing roles. But we don't have to abandon our fundamental role--We are Shepherds.
Perhaps we need to do some reality thinking ourselves. Are we more in the ministry with our eyes on only the rewards? Do we really think that we are that good preaching and leading. Even Jesus said that we could only expect a 25% return when our seed is cast out ...Why expect more? Maturing in the Christian faith is just as much as a growing process as it is with kids (Keep in mind , we was one!). The only problem is we have 50 year old babies and 70 year old teens. On the other hand we have mature 14 year olds and mature tweens. Physical age does not determine nor exemplify Christian maturity. And I know that you and I know that. But, we as Pastors do have a habit of being over-thinkers--its just in our DNA.
The best cure I know in being an overly cranial shepherd and keeping a healthy perspective on our unruly, demanding but rewarding vocations is this:
When God choose us to be His shepherd, He must have whispered to the angels, "I going to do the best I can with what I have!"