It had been a long day. You know the one. The day that feels like a week packed into 16 hours. It wasn’t anything cataclysmic; it was just stuff, and sometimes “stuff” just gets heavy.

So, walking in the door, my 14-year-old daughter gleefully greeted me with a precious smile, a hug, and asked, “How was your day today?”

“It was okay,” I replied in a reasonably solemn voice.

Then, she busted out laughing. “Really!? Really!?” Then, in a mocking voice that was supposed to resemble my own with a gloomy face she began her role-play: “Oh. Well…all I got to do was show people Jesus today. All I got to do was guide people to him. All I got to do was minister in Jesus’ name today and study his word and do his work.” Again, chuckling and smiling as big as the day had felt, she said, “Yah. Great job dad.”

Wow. What a wonderful rebuke that reminded me of a wonderful truth. As a pastor, I have the best job in the world.

1 Timothy 3:1b declares, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” The task of overseeing is noble. It is a privilege. It is glorious. It is good.

I was in a pity party with a complaining spirit about how hard my job is. What a joke. The truth is that I’d do most of what I do for free anyway, and yet I get paid to be a pastor. My job every day is directly tied to making disciples to the glory of Christ. Whether in times of distress, death, birth, partying, or just mundane madness, this task of overseeing is noble and I’m blessed.

What helped reenergize my passion and joy for ministry? A 14-year-old blessed daughter with a righteous perspective.

“Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger” (Psalm 8:2).