Great Mustaches

"Image," for a pastor, is largely appearance.  Appearance has its limits of acceptability.  As a pastor I am forever locked into some of its accommodations.  My daughters presented me with a "Great Mustaches" T-Shirt on my recent birthday.  I have only to grow one of them (or maybe pierce an ear) and I could test just how important appearance is to my new congregation - and for my tenure.  My late mother-in-law hated t-shirts.  I will never forget her reaction to the youth camp t-shirt that had "Go to Hell" on the front and "Or Heaven, it's your choice," on the back.  Youth loved it - Younda and the camp director labeled it "vulgar," (even "unchristian").  I am probably better off without a mustache - besides it would probably look more like a "molestache" (coined by my daughters - "a creepy man's mustache").  Maybe I will try wearing blue jeans in the pulpit like one of those Mega-church pastors do.  Probably not - I will probably just continue to wear suits until summer - then an oxford button down...just like Jesus wants.

I have a good friend who is considered a radical among his ministerial peers.  He is big on dying for Jesus.  He doesn't seem to worry much about his image.  He wears a t-shirt and jeans - and even wears his mustache in the pulpit.   We have confessed and shared our "visions" and "calls." The remarkable thing about him is that even with a mustache and jeans he seems to be able to funnel the wide interests of his congregation into narrow channels.  When a river narrows into a white water channel it becomes a force to be reckoned with - capable of moving a great deal of water very rapidly through a narrow canyon.  His vision has little to do with his image or accomplishments - and probably not his mustache.

Vision nags at me, as it should.  The Bible says that "where vision is lacking people die." - Whoa!  So vision must be more than buildings and budgets.  I confess I have had many "visionary" stopovers that in the end were, in reality, an acquisition that fostered my image - that were more about me and my accomplishments than God's Kingdom.

So what's the point?  I don't want that to happen here at my new stopover.  I am determined not to be fooled by stopovers of any kind that keep me from the real destiny God gave me.  I am praying that image builders will not block me from my arrival at a completed vision.  In the Bible Paul never completed his vision - in this way his vision was larger than his life.  My significance isn't about image or accomplishments but maybe, just maybe, about vision.  I took a good look at myself  in the mirror  today- stared myself down - not going to grow a mustache; however, I am going settle on a vision, what I can do and my image will be authentic.  If I  pursue my image I may miss my vision altogether - even with great mustache.  But - you can count on me wearing my Great Mustache T-Shirt soon - maybe even in the pulpit...in jeans - stay tuned!