Top Ten Things About Being A Pastor: #6
Okay, so some of you give me crap about always being snarky, sarcastic and cynical. So, I thought I’d do a decidedly uncynical series of posts: Top Ten Things About Being A Pastor.
#6:
This sitting atop a camel in the Holy Land is Charlotte Rexroad (who is now mortified I’ve written a blog post featuring her without her permission, the good thing about Charlotte is that she’s forgiving- sorry Charlotte).
What does Charlotte have to do with one of the Top Ten Things about being a Pastor? I’ll explain.
Pastors live in fishbowls. No news there. There’s no distinction between my private and public self and people are alway projecting onto me their assumptions and associations about what a ‘pastor’ is or does.
Sometimes that can feel like a burden, knowing that certain people will never know the ‘real’ me because they treat me like a category instead of a person. Other times it’s discouraging knowing I’ll never be as good, faithful, noble, selfless etc as people assume me to be because of R.E.V. some insist on putting in front of my name.
But then there are other times and people, people like Charlotte, who, because they’re good, humble followers of Jesus, assume the best about me- not because I fit into a category called ‘pastor’ but because they love Jesus and so, as Jesus would, they always treat me like I’m the best version of myself.
And here’s my point and why this is one of the best things about being a pastor.
The way Charlotte treats me makes me want to be the sort of person she assumes me to be.
Her character calls out more character in me. That, my friends, is about the best damn experience in the world.
And, don’t miss this: that’s how discipleship is meant to work.
Comments
Leave a comment
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
No incoming links found yet.
This post made my day! I love that photo and the Burdett family loves and misses Charlotte!
Charlotte is one of my favorite things about our Sunday School class. You couldn’t have made your point more eloquently.
Charlotte is a wonderful person. Just her presence makes me be a little more gentle and kinder.