Three Things I'd Like to Tell Myself Ten Years Ago (Before Going Into Ministry...)

Subject: From 2020 

Dear Jonathan,

Don’t freak out – I am writing to you from the future. This week you will graduate from college! That’s quite an achievement! Ok, the truth? (You should hear it from me) It isn't that much of an achievement. Over the next ten years you’ll find that it was one of the easier things you did in life. Trust me, in about 9 months you’ll be in the hospital encouraging Maggie while she is having your first... never mind. You’ll cross that bridge when you get to it. That is not why I’m writing.

Look, the year is 2020, we’re in the middle of a… thing… and it sparked a bit of introspection. I know you are excited to really get to work and start the path towards full-time vocational ministry. Before you start, there are some things that I really wish I had known in 2010. I know you hate reading right now, so here are the top three:

1. Talk less, listen more.

First, when you start talking, you stop listening. I know you hold your convictions strongly, as you should. I know that you care greatly about ministry, the Word, and the work of the Kingdom, as is fitting. But for now, keep those strong opinions to yourself. Why? Because you really do not know as much as you think you do. And if you dominate conversations, two things happen: First, you miss out on the valuable thoughts of others, and second, what little currency your opinions have is severely weakened. Listening to others is invaluable, for many reasons. What you have to offer is not. General rule of thumb here – when people ask what you think, share. Otherwise, keep it to yourself. You will figure this out on your own in about seven years or so but please don’t wait that long. So, shut up and listen up now, before it is too late. 

Consider this verse from Proverbs:

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.

  “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man (Pr 21:23-24)

2.   Learn the Languages.

I know, you do not see the point. You think the languages are difficult. Our English translations are sufficient, you say. How do you know? Have you earnestly tried? Do you not love the Scriptures? Do you not delight in meditating upon them? Then why in pretense of knowledge and in laziness do you deprive yourself of the delight, the access, the holy gift of reading Scripture in its own language? People will try and tell you that all you need is, at most, a little understanding of the grammar so you can use the Bible programs. Don’t you believe it one second. You can no more read a whitewater river run off of Google maps than you track the flow of thought of the author in Logos by hovering over words. You can no more choose the freshest fruits and vegetables over a grainy video call. You might as well develop your relationship with your wife in tweets of 140 characters or less, or claim to understand Shakespeare using only a 1st grade vocabulary list as your dictionary. Neither can you really exegete a text without a firm grasp of the languages. You don’t need to just look up the meaning of a word, you need to trace the flow of thought of the author, plumb the depths of concepts laid bare, and wrestle with difficult portions of scripture that English translations gloss right over. And as much as the church needs exegetes in the pews as well as the pulpits, we have precious few of either. It is not yours to judge the decisions of others - not every Christian should learn the languages – but as one who will devote your life to the ministry of the word, you are without excuse. You would never support career missions relying solely on translators, so why do insist on relying on them when it comes to the Scriptures?

3. Practice self-control.

Self-control is fruit of the Spirit. Why is it so far from you? Your life patterns are characterized by what feels good at the time. You arise from bed only when you must, you return to bed only when your body rebels. You spend your free time in whatever seems most fun. You don’t clean up after yourself. You pray only when you must. You laugh out loud at the idea of reading. Control yourself. Bring your body and your mind – your passions, as Paul would say – under your own control. If you cannot do this with the help of God in the small things like making yourself wash the dishes, clean the bathroom, or wash the car, then why do you expect to resist temptation or even grow in prayer? Why should you think to endure any trials at all? (And trust me, you have no idea the things coming at you.) If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live! Get your head in the game. Exercise self-control in small areas of life so that when it really counts, your passions are accustomed to submission. Besides, it would be easier for me to do so now if you start today.

I know that you wouldn't hear these even if I were there in person explaining them to you. The process is as much a part of the journey as the outcome. But oh, how I would change how slow we’ve been to learn. Anyways, I have to go now - I just got a weird looking email with the subject line “From 2030”.

Grace be with you,
Jonathan

PS, pick up some stock in Amazon. I hear it's gonna go places beyond used books.