Proclaimer Blog
Getting wet and the Cycling Confucius
It's been some time since Cylcing Confucius spoke. he's back today by popular request.
If you cycle in the rain you will get wet.
It may not look it, but this photo is me on my bike. I'm obviously hidden by the spray, but this is precisely what happened to me today so I arrived at work completely soaked through. You can wear all the expensive waterproof gear you want, but the Cyling Confucius is right. If you cycle in the rain you're going to get wet. And more fool me. I thought I had dry everythings in the office, but I still had to send someone out for some new socks… There is an inevitablity about it all.
There are, too, pastoral inevitabilities. This is because the Christian life has inevitabilities (Luke 9.23, 1 Tim 3.12). The pastor feels these for himself (as any Christian) but the pressure is multiplied because he feels them for others too. That's just the way it is. Not that we're full of self pity about this of course. Following in the Master's footsteps is both a privilege and a delight. But we need to be realistic about the nature of ministry and make sure we have in place mechanisms and safety nets to support us through difficult seasons. To put it in cycling-to-work terms, make sure you have dry socks in the office.
For some, that will mean having and building strong leadership teams made up of real friends. For others that will mean having good ministry friends with whom you meet regularly. For others it will mean…. well, you work it out.
But we all need dry socks in the office. Cycling Confucious – he not wrong.