The Reverend

In my line(s) of work, I deal with a lot of people who are in "ministry" in various places and forms. Some are very genuine, for all I know all are, and many seem to be practicing what they preach. Some are pastors and some are parishioners, some are educated and some are not. Some are called "reverend" and some are not.

But none are called that by me.

I refuse to do it.

And sometimes I worry that I am just being a jerk. That I just like to knock people down a notch and remind them of their own fallenness, which is probably too true. But I think I have a good reason outside of my own jerkishness.

I think Jesus said it well when he told the disciples not to let anyone call them "father" or "teacher." And I think that transfers over to this. "Reverend" simply means "one who is revered" and I can only think of one guy that's ever lived that should be revered. We only have one father, and he is creator of all. We only have one teacher and he died on a cross. And there should only be one who is revered.

Now, this presents the obvious problem that I am a pastor. I feel called to pastor and would feel less whole if I was doing anything else. The word has come to be associated with feelings of reverence, of the idea that this guy has some answers and that he/she has it more together than everyone else. However, I don't think that those ideas are inherent in the word.

I think it is simply a vocation and a calling to help the people of God stay on track. It is from the word for "shepherd" and though we ultimately only have one "good" shepherd, pastors are called to be earthly shepherds while he is not here physically. Difficult calling. Difficult to be the one without dragging the others into it.

Can we really fill the shoes of the One who is good temporarily? Can we do so without transferring some of his glory (intentionally or not) onto ourselves? Can we be pastors without be "reverends"? I think we have to try. I think we have to constantly remind our people both of our call and our low station. We have to serve in practice, we have to make ourselves less. We have to tell stories that do NOT glorify us. We have to seek humility above all. And none of that is easy.