I think it is important that as Christians, we figure our what "our jobs" are. For example, the job of a pastor is to help form Christians and Christian community. Thus, when a pastor starts taking stances on political issues for the church, despite the fact that as a private citizen he should have an opinion, he is stepping outside of his "job description."Read the whole thing.
Why is this important? Because we want the best people doing things, that's why. I learned early and with difficulty that I am not suited for vocational ministry. When I did such ministry, not good things happened. The same would be true for other people when they step outside of what they are suited to doing. A pastor is not suited to politics for any number of reasons. Likewise, a politician is not suited to do what I do, or what a pastor does.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Trusting God by Trusting the Church and Finding and Using Your Gifts
John Schroeder addresses the critical issue of living in authentic community with Christ and His Church. I love these two paragraphs:
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I wonder how this jibes with examples throughout the Bible of God showing his power through people unsuited talentwise for the jobs for which he has chosen them. This is certainly an anti-Western if not anti-American concept, that God seems to reward if not cherish the "failures" in life while those who are "successful" by the societal standard sare in particular danger of losing their souls. When I am assaulted with doubts, it is this odd echo of opposites --the humble vs. the strong, baby as savior, love your enemy, the rich are really poor, the poor are rich, and so on -- throughout scripture that rings most true. No semi-competent fiction writer would have considered crafting the biblical themes in this anti-herioc, anti-successful fashion. So it was either the collective product of some really dumb creative writers, or the deeper truth of a God that is beyond understanding. So, I'm sorry, but I guess I'm more comfortable with a pastor or priest who comes to that particular vocation a little bit more like Jonah, kicking and scratching and screaming. And as I finish this, I'm also now wondering if we have mistakenly attributed this country's material success, shared by many of us, me included, as a blessing from God when it in fact is the opposite, and imperils our souls.
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