“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45

I don’t naturally like messes; I’m kind of an orderly guy. My closet is organized with plastic (preferably white) hangers. So, when a ministry mentor would say, "Ministry is messy,” it totally threw me off. I wasn’t sure what he meant until I lived it first hand. Here are just a few examples I have encountered recently: Cohabiting couples, seasonally depressed individuals who don't think rationally, awkward confessions I have no desire to know about, church people who "have a concern," and a pastor who questions his call (yours truly, sometimes!). 

As ministers, we are called to serve and love people; but people can just be so messy.

It makes me think of Jesus’ ministry. It was messy. Peter was a mess. The Pharisees relentlessly harassed Jesus. A mess. Matthew, a tax collector. An absolute mess. The crowds of needy people always following Jesus. A total mess.

Jesus modeled this idea; he embraced the mess. He didn’t run from it and you never hear him complain. If anything, it drove Him toward His goal – to love and to give His life as a ransom for the many messy people.

He just kept embracing messy people and ministry.

So as a minister to people, why not embrace the mess and see the opportunity?

You never know how the Lord may use you to love and encourage the people He has given you the opportunity to serve.