Which One are You?

In an interview with Jeff Foxworthy (I don’t consider myself a huge Foxworthy fan. I enjoy him because he’s relatively clean, but he’s not my favorite comic), he was asked the following question. You are a comedian, an actor, a game show host, and an author; “Which one are you?” His response was that he was none of those. He said those are things I do, What I am is a husband, a father, and a friend. 

That statement slapped me right between the eyes. It makes me wonder in my heart if one of the reasons that many of us preachers struggle and some quit because we confuse who we are with what we do.

Now, before you quit reading, please hear me out; let me try to explain. It is my belief, as would be true of many of you who are reading this, that Preaching is the most important work in the world. Our work doesn’t just affect lives now, it has eternal implications with it.

Yes, we are involved in the work of God, Kingdom work, with everlasting consequences. We deal with heady stuff. It is a marvelous blessing to be one of the “earthen vessels” who are charged with proclaiming the whole counsel of God.

While our work may come closer to defining us than any other “job,” it is still what we do. First, we are Christians. We are disciples of Jesus. We are men of God.

When we allow what we do to define us, it is easy to say, “I don’t visit hospitals, I don’t participate in “church” activities, or as one preacher told a group of young preachers years ago, “I don’t do funerals!”

When we place greater emphasis on what we do than who we are, it is much easier to suffer extreme weariness and burnout. It becomes easier to quit. If we get the order right, if we understand who we are, we are more likely to work through problems and pain in every season of our lives.

We should be forever grateful to God for what we are blessed to do, but it is crucial that we not forget who we are in our life’s journey.