But it's not always easy.Yesterday, for example, in line at our favorite local take-out (can you guess what it is?), I bumped into an acquaintance, someone I've briefly chatted with a few times, but whom I really don't know. As often happens, the "What do you do for a living?" question came up, and I was definitely beaten in the "manliest occupation" category.
The guy is a former navy diver, certified for underwater demolition and welding, and works a high-responsibility job related to those skills. Talk about uber-masculine! At that point, it's pretty hard to make "I'm an associate pastor" sound impressive. Using the biblical metaphor and saying "I'm a shepherd of God's people" probably wouldn't have helped the situation.
What I do is important, possibly the most important occupation, because I'm offering spiritual direction for people's eternal future. No, I don't have massive biceps and I can't make complex engineering calculations, as impressive and admirable as those qualities are.
But even my current occupation is not who I am. And that's a relief. Because as I shift occupations, I can still honor my calling of offering spiritual direction to those who will receive it. I can still offer soul-care, and point those I encounter to things of eternal and spiritual significance.
In earlier times, people were often identified by their father, and even their father's trade. Smith, Shoemaker and Miller are surnames pointing to a family's occupational heritage. I am my Heavenly Father's son, a child of the living God, and I find my identity and occupation in that.
And that's enough.
What's your identity?
Awesome. I love that idea of being identified by Father. Blessings on the next step!
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me?! being a pastor is a very Manly Calling! It involves true trust in God, complete reliance in Him. It requires protecting your sheep from deceivers. It requires having to take up others' troubles and carry them through tough seasons. it takes perseverance through the toughest of times, not giving up no matter what. i commend you on what you do, sir! Please feel free to swing by my blog and drop me some comments, take care!
ReplyDeleteShepherd job description:
ReplyDelete1 Samuel 17:34-36 (NLT)
34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! (1 Samuel 17:34-36)