For several years I was asked to preach regularly for a man
I’ll call Pastor Brown. The entire church family became very dear to us and we
count the Brown family as close friends. One night I had taken the pulpit and
was about to read my text when the Brown’s young daughter, leaned over to my
wife and said, “I just realized that you get to kiss the preacher.” My wife
responded in turn, “I also do his laundry.” The girl's reply was, “You just took
the fun out of that thought.”
This scenario, though humorous, is probably fairly typical
of what many Christian young people think about the ministry. It is easy to
have a romantic notion of what the ministry, and indeed life itself, is all
about. As a young person I was guilty of this as well. All I could imagine was
the excitement of traveling from place to place and preaching. I felt the call
of God on my life from a young age and could hardly wait until I was old enough
to sit at the preachers’ table after church and share in the talk.
I had ideas of traveling the world, preaching large
revivals, and seeing thousands converted. I certainly did not envision having
to work a secular job during the week or driving for hours to preach on the weekends. I had no idea of the times I would look over my notes on the way to a service while my wife drove. After ministering
on a Sunday night we take turns driving home through the night so that we can work
the next morning. This is typical for many evangelists.
My purpose in saying this is not to put any negativity on
the life of a minister. My wife and I both love the life we lead and wouldn’t
trade it for anything. I believe every one of my minister friends feels the
same way. The point is that the minister, whether pastor or evangelist, is just
as human as the next man. Their children get sick, their cars break down, and
they get headaches and stomach bugs. Preachers have to work and their wives
have to do laundry. Life is not all fried chicken and peach cobbler. As in
anything else, life can be stressful at times.
There are many young people who start out life with
grandiose ideas of fame and fortune. When life doesn’t go according to their
fairy tale ideas it is easy to become bitter and disillusioned. The saying
about the grass being greener on the other side is true for everyone, minister
and saint alike. I truly believe the key to contentment is learning to take the
good with the bad. When one expects everything to always be perfect, he or she
is quickly disappointed. If one allows for the fact that life isn’t perfect, he
will find himself much more at peace with the realities of an imperfect world.
Are you one of those people who has a romanticized concept
of what life should be like? Are you constantly feeling unsatisfied and
wondering why? Perhaps its time to take a long look at your expectations. If
they are unrealistic, you will never be content. Life will never be perfect on
this earth but happiness is what we make it. None should be more content than
the Christian. There is never a day when we who are born again do not have something
for which to be thankful. No, life is not all about kissing the preacher.
Sometimes you have to do his laundry. Just be thankful you have soap.
Yours Truly,
Spanish Pastor Jones