A friend of mine was telling me not long ago that when a person is given a title they can begin to feel “entitled.” That stuck with me for a long time. There are a lot of people, unfortunately especially in Christianity, who strive so long and hard to have that title of “pastor” or whatever, and whenever they get it, everyone knows they’ve got it. It’s on their business cards, they introduce themselves as it, they become that title. They expect others to use that title and it also expect special treatment because of that title.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with titles themselves, because it helps people understand what their function is and their responsibilities. But titles themselves mean nothing without the influence or the character of the title in the person’s life. In my opinion.
From the time I was a teenager and growing up in church through my time in
I now work for the 3rd largest employer in the state I live in. It is in the medical field, a very corporate environment. But at the same time, as I work in and around the administration, I find everyone addresses each other by their first names. It doesn’t matter if you’re a vice-president, president, director or janitor, there is no separation by title. Oh, it’s clear who is who and what they do, their functions are well-defined, yet people are treated equally as human beings and their specific job categorization is respected.
Also I’m now in a church where while the pastor and leaders of the church are known and respected, the titles are not expressed or even used to much degree. Rarely is the name of the pastor preceded by his title, yet each one in the church would be quick to introduce him as “my pastor.”
All this makes me think, is it as important as church and the world, for that matter, used to believe that people be addressed in their position all the time, or is it more important that their function and responsibility be what “titles” them? Maybe that’s the true entitlement, when we function in the area of responsibility we are called to or employed into? What do you think?
2 comments:
Yes I agree that we don't have to use titles all the time. But I also see the important of having them. I also know that sometimes (not all the time) that a person needs to be given a title before other will give them the respect. Yes, I know we should be operating in the function of that title, before we recieve the title. Also that as we funciton in the title people will naturally give that respect. But, there are times that a person doesn't know or has not thought of themselves as a Pastor or Teacher or etc.
I understand and agree, because there is power in our words. I remember the first time I finally accepted the call to be a pastor. It actually came about because so many people in college recognize the gifting operating in my life and called me "pastor."
I guess my observation is more about what the title can do to someone who is not guarding their heart. It can become more important to them than the function that title represents. Maybe that's why this generation is tends to move more away from titles.
Post a Comment