Being called to preach is sort of like...well, having the job Superman has! It's a job that makes you different from everyone else.
People tend to look at you like you're invincible...the only difference is...Superman
is...
I'm not. People tend to have this idea in their head that a preacher
should be able to be there at a moment's notice...kind of like Superman, right? But...I'm not Superman! People tend to think Superman gets to take a lot of vacations. I mean, in the stories he kind of
vanishes, and no one knows where he went; and when things go wrong, he's plastered all over the papers!
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO SUPERMAN?
ANOTHER ROBBERY IN METROPOLIS...WHERE IS SUPERMAN???
DOES SUPERMAN CARE ANYMORE???
I can
sort of sympathize with the poor guy when it comes to that; but in my case, if I'm not
immediately there at a moment's call of distress, there's always a reaction of, "Doesn't he care?" or "I just knew you'd come pastor, and when you didn't...well, it just broke my heart!"
It really is amazing how many people think that a pastor is bulletproof, and a pastor can just kind of rip his shirt open to reveal the big symbol and be wherever he needs to be in a matter of seconds. I'm not complaining. It is a job that we as pastors have. The Bible says very plainly in Proverbs 27:23, "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds." It is a necessary
duty of which many pastor's
don't exercise the way they should. But I want to share a passage of scripture with you that may help you to understand who your pastor is, and how you can be
Superman for
him sometimes. It may not seem like a great passage to compare to a pastor, but there is some powerful symbolism that will help you when it comes to understanding your pastor. After all,
he is just a man.
It is really a very sad passage that I am going to use, but there is something that I want you to notice apart from all of the horrible things that are happening. In 2 Kings 6, the Syrians have besieged Samaria, and as the king is passing along the wall, he sees two women fighting. They both stop when they see him, and one cries out that they had both agreed to boil her child and eat him one day, and that the next day, the other woman's child would be eaten. When that second day came, the second woman hid her child. What a
horrible story! There is a great famine because of the siege, and at that particular time, a half a gallon of doves dung was sold for
five pieces of silver! And the head of a donkey was sold
EIGHTY pieces of silver! Amazing!
When the king sees the women and hears the story; he tears his kingly clothes. The tearing of one's garments was a show of mourning or distress or amazement. Now this king is
by no means a king that was godly; but I want you to notice what the Bible says. In 2 Kings 6:30 it says, "And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh."
Now, when you read of a person wearing sackcloth, it is a sign of mourning. When there is a death, and the family mourns; traditionally it was the Jewish custom for the loved ones to put off their good clothes and to put on sackcloth; which is dark, charcoal colored clothing. They would also heap ashes on their head; or plainly sit in the ash heap like Job did. But I say all of that to point out that the king was wearing his royal apparel outwardly; but inwardly, he had sackcloth on.
There are many times when your pastor
must have on the kingly garments of
joy, a big smile, a happy spirit, a kind word; all the garments of the
attitude that people admire. When your pastor walks into church with that big smile, and that fatherly hug or pat on the shoulder; I want you to remember that there are times when that pastor has had to deal with some things that he can never share with his congregation, as it is his job to uplift them, and to exhort them. It is a time when he must cover up the garments of mourning. Ezekiel had to do this one time. In the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel's wife was affectionately called
the desire of mine eyes (Ezekiel 24:16). Notice what it says in Ezekiel 24:16, "Son of man, behold, I take away from thee
the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down."
Now, this is a pretty extreme example; but what I am trying to point out is that as a human being, your pastor must bear his own burdens. I am not at all saying you need to lighten up on him and
never come to him when you are in need; but
do come to him with caution; knowing that he
is a man; and that
the man has his own burdens and his own pains that he can share with
no one many times.
Now, on a positive note; there is
one thing that me and Superman
sort of have in common! We both draw strength from the sun. The only difference is; it's spelled different! Superman draws his strength from the
sun; but I draw
my strength from
THE SON! I am so thankful for that. It's a tough job being Superman...when you're not. There was a time at my church when I was Superman in the eyes of a lot of people...needless to say, I fell short of their expectations
many times; but I have to say this...I'm thankful for a congregation that
knows I'm not now, and they love me, and need me
as a man and look to the
real Superman more than me; and that's Jesus Christ. I wouldn't trade a congregation like that for anything! And so, I just want to end this article with a great big
THANK YOU to the flock of New Grace Baptist Church! You've been a blessing to me!
