After a meeting this evening, I was invited (unbeknownst to me) to a jewelry party. One of my members was throwing a Mary-Kay-esque jewelry party and needed a 10th person to get some kind of bonus prize from the company rep. She asked me to come by the room afterwords but didn’t say why. Upon entering, I learned that I had filled out the magic number and she got a prize.
At first I was annoyed. “This is what my time is being used for??” But then I paused. I was being arrogant. I’ve been arrogant. To an extent, I think, I’ve let an elite seminary education get in the way of my ministry. After all, the Christian movement gained much of its momentum by the one who wrote,
I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Cor. 9: 22b-23)
Sometimes being a pastor means being a counselor. Other times a teacher. Sometimes it might mean babysitting, or video games. Sometimes it is as high and lofty as Holy Communion. And maybe, just maybe, sometimes being a pastor means being a warm body at a jewelry party.
Why the hell not?
