The school of ministry

Ministry is very much like parenting. Paul often refers to his flock as children (2Co 6:13). He is fully invested in them (1Thess 2:7-8). He sacrificed his time, talent, energy, body and life for them (2Co 4:11). His heart ached for them when they were lured away by some flashy philosophy of the world (2Co 5:12, 6:10). He labored with them until Christ was formed in them (Gal 4:19). He was brutally honest. He applied discipline. He encouraged, exhorted, persuaded. His heart thrilled with their successes and broke with their failures. So for those of us who are in the throes of parenting, consider it the school of ministry.