Sandpiper Pastor
Hanging out on the beach all day and making a living - life could be worse for the Sandpiper. It leaves on the edge of two worlds and yet is totally comfortable with both! As a pastor I live in two worlds, the one world known as the church and then what is commonly known as the secular world.
It is tempting to retreat into the world of the church exclusively, and pretend that there isn’t an ocean of trouble just a few feet away. However, plunging into the world totally can get one swamped - recent example of “political” pastors come to mind. It is insane to me how much coverage Rev. Wright is receiving, of course it was equally insane to me how coverage Jerry Falwell received.
Perhaps a good metaphor for Pastors is the common Sandpiper. It finds a fruit filled living by striding in that dynamic margin of Sea and Land. Watch a Sandpiper and you will see it isn’t easy, but somehow it knows when to venture out and when to retreat.
It might be fair to say that Pastors are called to live life on the edge, or on the boundaries. The problem is that those boundaries are constantly shifting and we always need to be aware of which way the tide is turning. Perhaps this is how all Christians are called to live.
Peace,
Doctor “J”