Tibetan Flip Flops

Quite often I think of some very random questions in my mind, and wonder such things as "What is the average lifespan of a squirrel?" - which is 6 by the way, but some live until 10.

Last night I asked Mike whether or not people living in Tibet would wear flip flops. He proceeded to give a thoughtful and scholarly answer to this burning question.

"There once was a guy who lived in Tibet named Chow Yong Meng. Chow Yong Meng liked the looks of the flip flops he saw online, so he ordered a pair from flipflop.com. They were all he dreamed they would be and more. He loved the way the fabric felt between his toes.

But someone else was also attracted by his flip flops. The Yeti loved the bright color and the sound of Chow Yong Meng's sandals - flip,flop,flip,flop. The Yeti began stalking and chasing Chow Yong Meng in order to have the flip flops for himself. Chow Yong Meng found it difficult to outrun the Yeti in his new flip flops, which while fashionable were not exactly functional for running away from Yetis in the snow. Chow Yong Meng could not outrun the Yeti anymore, and soon met his demise.

And so people in Tibet wear boots and not flip flops, but somewhere there is a very stylish Yeti with his very own pair."

Square Peg in a Round Hole

The question that I have been asking for the last couple of years is why do I carry the title "pastor"? Why do a lot of us carry that title, when in fact, we may not even have the pastoral gift? There are more equipping gifts than just pastors (prophets, evangelists, apostles, teachers) but we only seem to license people as pastors or "special workers".

So what about me? I fall into that other group. Luckily, I am in a place where I can use my giftings as I like, even while having a label that doesn't fit me. But what about those who cannot? Is this maybe while people feel tired in ministry? People expect certain things from you because you carry a certain type of stamp. This can be frustrating and tiring.

I think it would be great if we would recognize church leadership (those who equip the saints for the work of the ministry) as having some variety. A gifts-based ministry where everyone is passionate about what they do, and are energized by it instead of fatigued. I think we are going that way, so that gives me hope.