Expectations

I have issues with expectations. I love and hate them. I know that people expect to have a meaningful experience when they go to church, and that expectation motivates me and others at PC to do our best each Sunday. So there are some expectations that are good for me.

On the other hand, I have a profession in which everyone has an expectations of who you are suppose to be, do, act, how you spend your time, what your children are suppose to be , what you are suppose to wear, what your wife is suppose to do, to name only a few. Do you ever wonder why many pastors' kids are so bad? My experience is that most are bitter because Dad was never around. He was too busy trying to live up to everyone's expectations.

I gave that up a long time ago. I can not live up to all that some people expect me to be, I just can't. So I choose to be me, put my relationship with my wife, kids, and Christ ahead of my ministry (I still am a borderline workaholic). I strive to create systems in the church that can meet as many needs as possible, but I don't try to meet every need. I would rather disappoint a few and enjoy my wife, my kids, and God than try to satisfy those who are going to always want a little more.

My point in this post is just to acknowledge that you, like me, are always going to have more expectations put on you than you can live up to. So I encourage you to rank the expectations. Strive to live as Christ would expect, try to live and love your spouse and children, be productive at work, and if there is any time and emotional energy left, then look to fulfilling a few of the expectations that people around you have. However, always remember that you cannot not live up to everyone's expectation, and as a result, everyone is not going to love you.

Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.