Thursday, January 04, 2007

Ten Clerical Commandments for the New Year

by Kim @ http://theconnexion.net/wp/?p=2635

A while back our church organist gave me an article that she had cut out of a national broadsheet. It was a report on a conference for clergy on the theme of stress in the ministry, and it included a Ten Commandments for avoiding undue pressure and tension. Some of them were refreshing, and amusing too, like “Thou shalt leave undone things that ought to be done,” and “Thou shalt be boring, inelegant, untidy, and unattractive at times.”

As the year turned, I got to thinking what my own Top Ten would be. You could take them as “resolutions”. Here they are.

1. Thou shalt completely ignore the stereotypical “More tea, Vicar?” expectations that people have of you, and take it as a compliment when hospital staff, punctilious about visiting times, say, “You don’t look like a minister.”

2. Thou shalt learn to say No without guilt and Yes without resentment.

3. Thou shalt not confuse God’s unconditional love for you with personal self-esteem.

4. Thou shalt remember that Christ died for ignorant and sanctimonious people too.

5. Thou shalt never think that you are indispensible.

6. Thou shalt take it as high praise indeed when people complain about your political sermons.

7. Thou shalt be indulgent with Christians who think that their church is the church.

8. Thou shalt remember two things about Judgement Day: (1) that no one has ever said to the Lord, “I wish I had spent more time in the office”; and (2) that you will be judged not only on the sins you committed but on the joys you omitted.

9. Thou shalt always identify with the Pharisee, not the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14).

10. Thou shalt grow old but not up - and let those wrinkles be laughter-lines.

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