What defines you? Perhaps a job title — one that turns heads or signals to at least some people that you matter. You may have a job title that in some way some might find attractive, intriguing, or in some way conveys importance.
Then there will be a day when you lose your title.
You may find out that some people actually needed you while others wanted to be near you because of your position.
Someone said that “retirement is the world’s longest experiment in discovering who actually needed you versus who just needed your position.” (The Old Grey Thinker - March 4, 2026)
No matter your age, you and I might consider holding lightly to whatever position we have at work. For example, I am no longer identified as the minister of a church nor do I have a role in a Christian university. I do have my true identity - who I am in Christ.
Charlotte reminded me of the following scene:
Hamlet speaks with Horatio about his late father. Horatio describes the elder Hamlet by saying “I saw him once; he was a goodly king.” Hamlet then corrects him with great emotional weight: “He was a man, take him for all in all, / I shall not look upon his like again.” (Act 1 Scene 2)
Hamlet is pushing back on reducing his father to merely a title or a role — “a king.” When you lose your title, no matter your age, you have not lost yourself. Before you had a title, you were a man or woman, created in the image of God.
Your true identity remains. Now that matters.
I love this quote from cartoonist Charles Shultz:
Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Just as the person riding a bike may only use a few gears of the bike that are available, many of us only use a few biblical resources. We may have resources at our disposal that we rarely use.
For example:
Deep Friendship - Do I really take advantage of deep friendships that I could have within the body of Christ?
Real Prayer - Do I pray? If Jesus were to personally teach me to pray, how would my own prayer life change from what it is right now?
Reflection - Do I take time to reflect and meditate on my life and my relationships with my family?
I’ve found it helpful to at least be open to learning about some unused “gears” that may actually help me as I walk with Jesus.
Annie Dillard wrote:
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.
How do you spend your days?
Does your time reflect who or what you are really devoted to? If I am devoted to my spouse and my children, does my use of time reflect this? Our calendars often say much about who or what we are really devoted to.
Are the people in whom you are investing actually on your calendar? Are my good intentions indicated by what is on my calendar?
Does my calendar reflect an intention to spend time in my own growth, self-care, and overall well being? What about my time in Scripture? What about my emotional and physical health?
The point of this is not for you to feel badly for neglecting to be intentional. Rather, it might be useful to think about the following:
Can I begin my week by placing something that is seemingly small on my calendar which reflects my commitments?
What would a very small “win” look like this week? What if I were to commit to doing something that may seem very small but which will begin to move me in the right direction?
I regularly read I Thessalonians 2:1-12 to remind me of what godly ministry is and what it is not. It is about faithful proclamation but it is also about living with integrity, courage, and sacrificial love.
Real ministry is courageous (2:1-12).
Ministry will involve opposition.
Courage is God-given boldness.
At times, faithful ministry has a cost.
Real ministry has, at its core, a personal integrity found in one’s motives (2:3-6)
Note Paul’s clear description of what did not drive his ministry:
not error, impure motives, nor deception (vs. 3)
not people-pleasing (vs. 4)
not flattery or greed (vs. 5)
not seeking praise (vs. 6)
Think about these various descriptive terms that Paul uses. Why does he spend so much time on this? Ministry is a sacred trust and if we are not careful, our hearts can stray through misplaced motives.
It is critical that we protect what has been entrusted to us. Allowing misplaced motives to live in me can ultimately destroy my ministry.
Real ministry is deeply relational and loving (2:7-12)
Paul uses two family pictures to describe ministry:
A Mother’s Tender Care — “Like a nursing mother caring for her children.” A nursing mother cares for her children with gentleness, nurture and sacrifice.
“We were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (2:8).
A Father’s Spiritual Leadership —“Encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” (2:12).
Ministry is about encouragement and guidance. It is about spiritual formation. You and I are to live so that in some way we are demonstrating the transformative power of the Gospel in our own lives.
I Thessalonians 2 is a passage that one does not master and then you move on. Rather, for any minister or church leader, this is worth re-reading again and again.
See Russell Moore’s interview with Richard Reeves. “Why Young Men are Struggling.” This is an excellent and important conversation.
Kyle Strobel - “Knowledge and Skill are not Enough.” (Talbot School of Theology Magazine, January 22, 2026)
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Amy Edmondson - “The Best Leaders are Great Followers.” (Harvard Business Review, January 14, 2026)
Note: I mentioned in the last Encouragement Note regarding my brother-in-law’s illness and hospitalization at Vanderbilt Hospital. Chris Coil died on Wednesday, March 4 after being hospitalized for 33 days. He served as a minister for 40 years.
I formerly served as Vice President of Harding School of Theology, Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to this, I served as a minister in various congregations for 36 years.
Much of my time is spent in conversation with ministers and other church leaders. I do mentor/coaching each week. I continue to teach and preach in various congregations by request.
I am a husband, father, and grandfather. One of my favorite things to do is to come alongside another person and encourage her or him.
My e-mail address is: jmartin9669@gmail.com. Feel free to write. I would love to hear what is encouraging. — Jim Martin
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