Could it be the Fumes?

Dear DW-

 I am writing to you with bleach-cracked hands and the smell of toilet cleaner in my nose.  Our church janitor was fired recently and the leadership committee decided that it would be a GREAT idea for everyone to pitch in and take a shift to clean the bathrooms after each service.  Of course, I signed up to take a shift because EVERYONE was going to help out and clean.  Well, guess what?  Two months later and I am the only one still showing up to clean.  I am trying to have a good attitude about this and be a humble servant but I can honestly say that my sacrifice is not wholehearted before the Lord.  In fact, I’m sick of it!  I don’t know how I get into these situations.  It seems like I am always getting roped into volunteering for something I don’t really want to do because I am a pastor’s spouse and I need to lead by example.  How do I get out of this habit?

 Chained to the Bathroom

 

Dear Chained to the Bathroom, 

What makes you think that it’s a great example for you to be cleaning all of the toilets in the church by yourself?  Is it the fumes?!  Get out of the bathroom and maybe you will have a better perspective! It sounds to me like you are letting your congregation take advantage of your willingness to serve and sacrifice.  Even Jesus said that there is a point to shake the dust off your feet and move on.  In this case it’s time to throw down the toilet brush! 

 Seriously, the church will ask you to do as much as you let them.  This volunteering habit of yours will keep you smelling like scrubbing bubbles unless you learn a beautiful two-letter word- “NO”.  You will never be able serve wholeheartedly when you are volunteering out of an obligation “to be an example”.  You need to start focusing on what God is prompting you to do rather than on what the leadership committee deems is best for you to do.  Plus, as long as YOU will do this kind of stuff, no one else in the church is going to step up to do it.  The church won’t ever need to hire a custodian because you will be filling that role for them. 

 A part of leading by example is joyfully operating right in the center of God’s will.  Hosea 6:6 says “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.  I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”  Saying “NO” to things that are not God’s will for you is a way for you to show love to your congregation.  If you are serving with a sense of resentment, you are serving in the wrong place.  You will never be the godly example you desire for your congregation until you do them the honor of serving them wholehearted in the center of God’s will.  Anything else and you are doing a disservice to them, yourself, and God.

 And I promise you, those toilets will smell much fresher when someone who is called to do it is cleaning them!

 Love,

DW

 

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Kid Min H8tr

Dear DW- 

I have a problem.  It seems like every time I turn around, someone is asking me to volunteer in the church nursery or the children’s ministry.  I’ve even been told by some church people that it’s my “duty” to volunteer since I have children.  Oh yeah, and did I mention that my husband is the Families Pastor at church?  My issue is that I don’t particularly like babies and kids!  Now don’t get me wrong, I love my OWN kids, I just don’t particularly care to play with or care for other people’s children.  I don’t think I’m good at it.  And DW, I have tried!  The last Parents Night Out my husband planned, I was there, doing my “duty”.  I came home exhausted, resentful, and feeling guilty that I hated it so much.  What am I going to do?!  I feel torn that I don’t want to participate in this aspect of my husband’s ministry at all.  And I know that there are expectations from church people that I should be involved.  My husband said that I could bail on him if I want to.  He knows that the Children’s ministry is not my thing.  But, I want to be supportive of him and I also know our church- if I’m not there, he will hear about it.  So for now, I’m off to the nursery to rock some babies because the regular volunteer is sick.  Help me, please! 

Kid Min H8tr

 

Dear Kid Min H8tr- 

Listen to me closely…You have permission to quit!  Get out now.  For the good of everyone, bail on your husband!  Would you want a volunteer like you ministering to your children?  Would you put them with someone who really doesn’t want to be there but who continues to show up out of obligation?  Of course not!  God doesn’t want that kind of service from you.  He’s looking for wholehearted commitment.  You need to be real with yourself about what kind of ministry God has created you to do because this is obviously not it.  If it was, you would have joy and peace when you serve, not resentfulness and guilt.   

 Support your husband in other ways than “direct care” with the children.  What gifts and skills do you have that would benefit the church and particularly your husband’s ministry that do not require you to be “hands on” with children?  This would be a much better way to support your husband than begrudgingly volunteering in the Children’s ministry.   Being a ministry spouse doesn’t mean allowing other people to dictate HOW you are going to serve God.  That’s still uniquely between you and the Lord.  You and your husband need to set some boundaries with the church and within your family about how you are going to serve in ministry.  The church will define your place of service unless you define it for them first (as you have already discovered).  You and your husband need to make a clear stand for what you are and are not going to do in the church. 

Look, there’s no shame in knowing what you’re good at and living in that sweet spot and there shouldn’t be any shame in knowing what you’re bad at and avoiding it.  There will be people who do not understand.  But ultimately, the only person you have to please is God.  And how can you do that when you’re miserably stuck on diaper duty!

Love~

DW