The very first thing I had to accept before I came to seminary was that pastors are human. I know this seems a little strange to accept, but hear me out Yes I know, most people understand that a pastor’s physical and biological make up is the same as they are. But I’m not talking about the biological aspect of humanity; I’m discussing what it means to be human.

Humans are fallible. Humans, mess up, make mistakes, hurt peoples feeling, desire love, change their minds, as well as a whole long list of other things that all people do. If pastors are human… that means they do these things as well? Mess up? Make mistakes?! Desire love?? Possibly even Hurt someone’s Feeling?!?! This was a hard concept for me. You see while growing up I did the same thing lots of people do, I put my pastor up on a pulpit (or pedestal) and expected  him to be something he’s not…perfect. Pastors in my mind pastors were perfect people who didn’t make mistakes, drink, question God or have any traits I expect any normal person to have. Therefore, they could not be sinners or behave like humans.  

Since there has been only One who has been both human and divine this premise was a huge mistake on my part.  By working very closely a number of pastors at Mo Ranch; I began to know them and understand pastors were not some strange creature with magical powers of holiness. They were simply people working closely with God to help lead and guide others along the way…yet  they were still human!  I’ve entered into the seminary process and have found myself being held by others to the silly standard I formally held my pastor to.  I now find myself defending my humanity. (No doubt part of God’s since of humor).  I’m learning it’s ok; I mess up. It’s ok; I go out and have a beer with my friends. It’s ok I want to get married one day. It’s ok; I don’t have all of the answers. It’s ok for me to be human.

Furthermore, I think that the real discussion is over forgiveness.  Does making mistakes make us horrible people, or people outside of God’s mercy? NO?!? That’s the beautiful thing; because we are willing to ask for forgiveness and humbly seek forgiveness for our actions we can better ourselves. No one has it right, and no one can make it right without God’s grace. Being human is our blessing and our curse. When we hold people to an unachievable standard we force them to fail and to disappoint us. Unfortunately, when pastors disappoint us we sometimes transfer our disappointment with the pastor into disappointment with God.  Sometimes it is hard for us to separate the two…

Ironically, I still fight this problem within myself. Despite the fact I spend time defending my humanity I still “expect more” out of my fellow seminary students and myself. And in failing the unachievable, I become disappointed with others and most of all with myself. I would love to magically live outside of my human flaws.   I would love it others could be the wonderful amazing people I expect all of them to be. Yet that is unjust of me, and not my place to judge their journey and where they are in that path.

We can’t do it. Perfection is not achievable. We can take a stab at it, we can try, and we can make efforts to better ourselves, recognize our short comings and ask God to help us along the way.  We can ask God to guide us, mold us, and hold our hands as we His children trip and fall along the path of life.

…That’s the point really isn’t it? Trying to do better, trying to be better? Becoming aware enough of others that we realize when we have wronged them, and then asking for forgiveness from them and from God.  We must also learn to forgive ourselves. We know we cannot knowingly go into actions that are wrong expecting to be able to ask for forgiveness. That’s really not ok. But when we do mess up, because we are not perfect, we know forgiveness it there for us. We are all a work in progress; no one has achieved perfection yet. Peace comes with an understanding God washed us clean, made us, and can make us whole again. As new creations in Christ we know we are forgiven, no matter the occupation, no matter the mistakes, no matter the short comings …

Friends that is Good News.