At the end of last year, I began reading Eugene Peterson’s memoir ‘The Pastor’ about his calling and journey of being a pastor, and how his vocation as pastor shaped him. It is vintage Peterson: no airs or graces, just simple, plain talking about the way God matured this man who expected to be a university professor into the humble role of pastor for a 300 person church. A must read for anyone who loves anything else Peterson has written (or anyone who loves memoirs, regardless of who wrote them).
Last night, I came across a section where he compared the role of a psychiatrist or counselor with the role of being a pastor. It was helpful for me in my role as I often contemplate how what I do in pastoral care is different from biblical counseling.
Here’s Peterson’s insight on this distinction:
“I was not primarily dealing with people as problems. I was a pastor calling them to worship God….The people who made up my congregation had plenty of problems and more than enough inadequacies, but congregation is not defined by its collective problems. Congregation is a company of people who are defined by their creation in the image of God, living souls, whether they know it or not. They are not problems to be fixed, but mysteries to be honored and revered. … My work is not to fix people. It is to lead people in the worship of God and to lead them in living a holy life.” p.136- 137.
A wonderful reminder for my heart and mind that tends to want to jump in and try to “fix” people and their problems.
As we enter into a New Year, may all of us who have the privilege of ministering to God’s people treat them as image bearers to be honored, not as problems to be solved. And may that be the primary way in which we engage them.
