Feeding Cattle

I am a pastor who likes to get his hands dirty.

I don't mind a little bit of work as I go about tending the flock here in Cat Spring, and around here, that's important.

A few weeks ago, I stopped by the home of an elderly gentleman and his wife.  I saw him in the barn putting out feed for his cattle.  I walked directly to the back of his truck and grabbed a feed sack.

I don't know if folks aren't used to their pastor jumping in and doing work or if they think we don't like getting our hands dirty, but this particular gentleman gave me every single way out possible so that I didn't have to get my hands dirty.

But I wanted to help.

I like doing manual labor.

I told him in no uncertain terms, "The cows need to be fed, and I will help."

We finished putting the bags out at the barn, and the guy said, "We can go inside and visit for a while.  I'll take out the other sacks to the pasture later."

"No.  Let's do it now," I replied.

We jumped in his truck and headed to the back of his pasture.  We stopped and put out two more bags of feed and the dropped two buckets of sweet feed.  Those buckets had to weigh 100-150 lbs a piece. 

Glad I didn't drop one on my foot!  Not sure the church would have picked up workers' comp for that one!

Now some might question why in the world I would subject myself to such labor.  Why feed cattle?  Why help a carpenter build a building?  Why wash dishes after a pot luck or dinner?  Why take out the office trash?  Why spend a few minutes in the church flower bed?  Shouldn't other people do this?  Isn't it their responsibility?

Two points:

#1: I told my congregation early on I would not ask them to do something I would not be willing to do myself.  Leaders are not above the people they work with.  Leaders share the burden and work of the church or whatever organization they are a part of.  Sure, I don't have to take the trash out.  I don't have to wash dishes.  I don't have to dig in flower beds or spend money to fix up the landscaping or yard of the parsonage.  But I do.  I'm invested in this congregation just like everyone else.  I will share the burden and share it gladly.

#2: 90% of a church's ministry is done outside the walls of the church.  It is done by real people in the midst of their daily lives.  Oftentimes, we miss this.  We think we have to be intentionally doing something "churchy" in order to be doing ministry.  But that is not the case.  Our vocation, even our work is ministry.  The congregation member raising cattle is making money, sure, but he is also feeding people.  Putting out feed for the cattle is linked to making sure the population has food to eat.  This is a great service and a use of his God-given ability and desire to raise cattle.  I hope my willingness to get my hands dirty in this endeavor comes across as a blessing of sorts--a recognition that God blesses his work as his mission in the world.

Seeing people put their faith into action in their daily lives gives me a great charge.  When I can help them become better at it, it charges me further.  I'm not afraid to feed cattle or any other sort of thing that my folks do.  I might come home dirty, smelly, have my boots covered with cow manure, but I don't give a darn.  I'm sharing in what my congregation members are sharing, and I'm seeing God in their daily lives as well.