In nine days I will begin my new job as Director of Pastoral Studies at New Life Seminary. It's an exciting new challenge, personally, intellectually, spiritually, and financially. I relish the challenge, and look forward to beginning with my students.
It is a wonderful feeling to know that at my age, I can still start a new career. For thirty-one years, I have walked through the halls of ministry, only to find a brand new door and a new hall behind it. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe this is only one of a succession of doors for me yet to enter, each one leading to another, until I swing open the final one and step into the light in my Father's House.
I am blessed to be teaching practical ministry subjects. I am not a scholar in the the traditional sense, nor do I want to be. I admire people who are true scholars and respect their precision of thought, but for my part I would rather focus on holy practice than holy intellect. When I was younger, I wanted to be smart. Now I would rather teach wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing.
I pray that my God will help me to make them sufficiently challenging and helpful. I know that they will teach me as much as I will teach them. More than that, I pray that what I do and say among them will point them to the Great Teacher, before Whom we are all just mediocre students.
"Dear God, who teaches us all things, let we who teach be reflections of Your glory, so that our students will see You in what we say or do. May we drink our fill at the well of knowledge, but lead us to share what we know with wisdom and with love.
In Jesus' name, Amen."
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