Hope there’s a VIP Section in Heaven!

By: Samuel Ludington

I have often asked myself why anyone would ever choose to be a pastor. Although I greatly respect the profession, I find it amongst the most underappreciated and overworked career choices. Pastors willingly take on the 24 hour responsibility of shepherding a congregation. In doing so they agree to be a social worker, friend, marriage counselor, mediator, janitor, chef, musician, teacher, theologian, salesman, innovator, academic scholar, IT Specialist, babysitter, handyman, and on top of all that we expect them to pull a rabbit out of a hat every Sunday morning and captivate a drowsy audience. Pastors work tirelessly to ensure that their congregation is well taken care of, both physically and spiritually. The month of October is designated as Pastor Appreciation Month, and as I began to reflect on what the job description actually entails, I don’t think a month and a Hallmark card can ever fully express the gratitude that parishioners should have for the pastors of their respective churches. I know this can be said about Holy Cross, and the two pastors that we have been blessed with, Pastor Bartels and Pastor Storr. As I began to reflect on my previous question of why anyone would ever choose to be a pastor, I think the two common denominators and answers to that question are evident in these two men of God. Pastors love God and they love people! These are the two motivating factors that inspire and sustain these two men. They have experienced the love of God first hand, and as a result have chosen to devote their lives to sharing that love with others. So how can we ever begin to honor and express gratitude to these men of God who have devoted their lives to serving others, I believe it begins by replicating their actions. I DO NOT believe that everyone was called to be a pastor, but I DO believe that everyone has been called to love God and love others. The truth is that although we do not have an official congregation, we are called to love and minister to those we encounter on a daily basis, in effect the world is our congregation and our lives are the pulpit. What better way to honor the work that our pastors do then to come along side them and love others so that they may come to know God. While my hope is that there is a special VIP area designated in Heaven for pastors where they can be honored and recognized for all of their sacrifices, I’d be willing to bet that any pastor would gladly forfeit all recognition in Heaven if it meant that one more person could get there. So my challenge for everyone, myself included, is that we honor our pastors by sharing in their passion for God and for others.