I wasn’t offended at all. I brought a colleague to the Rotary Club meeting. When I introduced him to one of the Rotartians at my table, he declared, “Now he looks like a minister!” Another person sitting across from me raised his eyebrows at the comment, and looked my way, waiting for my response. One could easily infer from the comment that the person was saying to me “You don’t look like a minister ... but he certainly does.” I wasn’t offended.
You see, I knew what he was trying to say. I responded, “You’re absolutely right. He does look like a minister.” My friend looked very proper in his sport coat and tie. He had offered the blessing and had a great sense of dignity about him. The remark was meant to be a compliment for my friend. Besides, I know who I am. This was several years ago but nothing has changed. Part of my success as a pastor has come from the fact that sometimes I don’t look like your proverbial minister.
Most people in the community know me as “Cal.” To them I am just one of the guys. I learned several years ago that I can’t show up in the marketplace wearing my “clergy clothes” and expect anyone to listen to me. If I am going to be effective in sharing the gospel, I have to live the Gospel. I have to reflect Christ in the way I live. I have to wear the qualities of integrity, compassion, faithfulness, and grace. No suit and tie will hide it if I don’t.
The truth is that Jesus called all of us to serve as his ministers. We should do our best to make a good impression but the clothing we wear isn’t as important as the message we share. The apostle Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:20. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” That means that we’ve been sent out into the world with a message of forgiveness, grace and new life. Each of us has our own unique assignment. We’ve been sent to people and places where we can make the best appeal.
God knows us. Our appearance matters but not as much as our authenticity. We need to be who we are. That means my enthusiasm for the lowly Detroit Tigers or your love for the New England Patriots can be a starting point for building a relationship with someone who needs to hear the gospel message. That means my love of music and drama or your love of computer technology puts us in a place where we can connect with others to share God’s love for them.
The best ministers are those who go into the world incognito, dressed as the common man or woman. The best ministers are those who can become a friend first, and then an evangelist. Isn’t that what Jesus did? He made friends with the disciples. He befriended the woman at the well, Nicodemus, Jairus and all the others he met along the way. Then he ministered to them.
It’s not the degree behind our name that affirms our calling. That farmer dressed in overalls, or the secretary sitting at a computer, or the accountant with a pocket filled with sharpened pencils, or the engineer on the commuter train, or even the 12-year-old little girl can claim the job of sharing the gospel with a world in need. The truth is that you may be the only minister some people ever meet. So don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t look like a minister. Believe me, looks aren’t everything.
It’s God who writes the job description. Mine fits me to a tee. I think if you look a little closer, you’ll see that God has one for you too. You’ll see that it describes you exactly the way you are. You are perfect for reaching out to the people you meet every day. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get out there and do what we ministers do. Let’s go serve the Lord!
The Rev. Cal Lord is pastor of Central Baptist Church in Westerly.
The Link LonkJanuary 30, 2021 at 08:30AM
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Practicing Faith: There's no dress code for serving the Lord - The Westerly Sun
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