Reflections from the heart of Jug Town

By Pastor Shannon

“The pastoral call is a divine passion but a terrible vocation.”

Those were the words that struck me so hard when I began telling friends and family that the Lord had placed a call on my life. I was only twenty years old, and that statement has annoyed me ever since I first heard it.

Perhaps it bothered me because I struggled to understand how something so deeply rooted in God’s calling could be described as a terrible vocation. Over the years, however, I have come to believe that much of our confusion comes from how we understand the relationship between calling and vocation—as though one must always determine the other, or as though the compensation we receive should somehow correspond to the weight of the work we carry.

I have come to look at the matter from a different angle.

As a pastor, my labor is not measured merely by the services I render. That is the perspective of a hired hand, not a shepherd. My labor is woven into my lifestyle. Pastoral ministry is not simply what I do; it is part of who I am.

Consider a mighty oak tree on a hot Missouri summer afternoon. When someone finds relief beneath its branches, we do not imagine the tree struggling to produce shade. The tree simply stands where it was planted, fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. Its shade is the natural byproduct of its design.

The tree does not punch a clock before offering relief to a weary traveler. It does not demand payment before sheltering a family from the summer sun. It simply does what an oak tree was created to do.

There is something beautiful about that.

I think of the eagles that glide over Truman Lake, riding the currents of air above the water. They do not seem to fret over whether their wings are adequate for the journey. They spread those wings and take flight, using what their Creator has given them.

An eagle was created to soar. It does not need to become something else before it can fulfill its design.

In many ways, this is how I have come to understand pastoral ministry. The call of God is not something I put on and take off like a uniform. It is not confined to Sunday morning, a church office, or the hours recorded on a time sheet. It shapes how I see people, how I respond to suffering, how I handle responsibility, and how I seek to serve Christ when no one else is watching.

The call is not merely a task to complete; it is a life to live.

That does not mean ministry is always easy. Shepherding people can be exhausting. There are seasons of discouragement, sleepless nights, difficult conversations, and burdens that cannot be measured on a paycheck. There are moments when the work feels heavier than our strength.

But difficulty does not necessarily mean we have missed God’s calling. Even the eagle must face changing winds, and even the oak must endure storms. The difference is that neither was created to live according to the weather. Each is designed to fulfill its purpose amid changing conditions.

Likewise, no title, degree, position, or paycheck can create a divine calling. Those things may provide opportunities for service, but they cannot manufacture the work God has entrusted to a person. It is the Lord who calls us into His service, equips us by His grace, and gives us the privilege of caring for His people.

Peter’s words to fellow elders have always reminded me of this responsibility:

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.”

—1 Peter 5:2, KJV

Notice the emphasis: a willing heart, a ready mind, and a commitment to care for the flock. The shepherd’s motivation must be greater than obligation or financial reward. He serves because Christ has entrusted people to his care.

And perhaps that is where we must pause and examine our own hearts. When we struggle with our calling, we should not automatically assume that we have misunderstood God’s purpose. Sometimes the struggle is simply part of faithful service. But we must also be willing to listen—to return to Scripture, seek the Lord in prayer, and ask whether we are following His direction or merely pursuing our own expectations.

Not everyone is called to pastoral ministry, and not every Christian’s calling will look the same. Yet every believer has been given opportunities to serve the Lord and bless others. Some are called to preach from a pulpit. Others serve faithfully in classrooms, hospitals, homes, workplaces, and communities. The setting may differ, but the question remains: Are we faithfully using what God has entrusted to us?

Your calling may be expressed through your vocation, but it is not limited to your job description. It reaches into the ordinary moments of life. It is revealed in what you do when no one is applauding, in how you treat people who cannot repay you, and in whether your faithfulness continues when the work becomes difficult.

Your calling is not simply your occupation. It is a life of faithfulness shaped by your relationship with Christ.

So, my brothers and sisters, be faithful where God has planted you. Serve with the gifts He has given you. Listen for His direction, trust His grace, and remember that the value of your service is not determined solely by the recognition you receive or the compensation you earn.

And if you ever find yourself wondering whether your life is making a difference, remember the oak tree and the eagle over Truman Lake. The oak provides shade. The eagle spreads its wings. Neither needs a title to fulfill its design.

You do not have to stand behind a pulpit to live out God’s purpose for your life. You simply have to be faithful to the One who called you.

And as I often say, be good, my brothers and sisters. But if you can’t be good, be God’s!

Pastor Shannon