Counselors Reflect on Dangerous Calling by Paul Tripp
A Series to Care for the Care Takers of God’s People
“My friend was a rose expert, but he had seen neither the sign nor what the sign pointed to. Expert, but unchanged. Expert but without awe. Expert, but not driven to worship. Expert, but lacking joy. Expert, but not very thankful. It was a sad state of affairs for a man who professed to love roses” [said about a friend who spent hours in his rose garden making sure they were perfect, but never stopping to enjoy them or allow others to enjoy them], Paul David Tripp in Dangerous Calling, page 49.
When I was in college, I spent six weeks abroad in Central Asia. There were a lot of different experiences that took place in those six weeks. I learned what it was like walking back in time—having no running water, using an outhouse instead of a toilet, washing clothes by hand instead of using a washing machine, and having no access to the internet. One of my teammates and I stayed with a Russian family that was very gracious to open up their home for those six weeks. One day, as Ira (our host mom) was in the garden working, I commented on what beautiful colors were in the sunset that evening. I remember Ira stopping, looking up at the sky, and saying that she had seen that same sky for years, working in the same garden. She replied, “I forget to take time and notice.” Ira’s life was full of busyness and preparations—milking the cow, gathering eggs, working in the garden, and cleaning were all part of her day-to-day tasks. Resting was not something that was usually on the agenda, unless it happened to be bedtime.
In that moment, Ira reminded me a lot of Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Martha was busy with preparations for several houseguests. Instead of her sister Mary helping her, Mary was seated at the feet of Jesus. Martha asked Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me” (v. 40). Jesus’ response was, “Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41, italics mine). Jesus did not tell Martha what she was doing wasn’t important. There were many tasks for her to do. Jesus did tell her what Mary had chosen was better, though. In preparations for the company of Jesus, she had missed Jesus himself. Instead of sitting with him, she was working for Him.
As ministers, whether pastors, counselors, missionaries, or ambassadors of the Gospel, let us not to forget to look to the One that we serve. Though preparations may be needed to minister and serve, let us not forget the One that we serve.
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Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry By Paul David Tripp / Crossway Books & Bibles |