I read this interesting paragraph in an article on church planting (http://www.acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/ten-qualifications-of-a-church-planter/):
We prefer the men in our church to be mules. A mule does not act like a jackass & they are able to carry larger loads & endure longer than a horse. They are tamer than a jackass but do not seem to want to run like a stallion. I think many pastors prefer a mule to a stallion. Stallions are designed to run & not be penned up in a stable. We are generally afraid of stallions because we are afraid of our own masculinity, our leadership, & our "importance" to the Christian community. We are afraid that the stallion will steal our oats & our affirmation by "our" people. Since our own fathers did not affirm us, this is seen as a threat. We value Steady Eddie instead of Daring Dan. Christianity is a radical following of Jesus. The problem with being a mule is that it is almost always sterile.
5/01/2009
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what do you think about being a mule and a stallion at the same time? Don't you think Jesus was at times like a mule(gentle, patient and kind). Other times he was like a Stallion(cleared the temple, harshly rebuked the pharisees and valiantly faced the cross).
ReplyDeleteAnother consideration, in a marriage, if both people are like stallions, there might be trouble in a marriage. But if one is like a mule and the other is like a stallion, both can compliment each other.
Great thoughtful reflection which I agree with. Likely, every man will have elements of being both a mule and a stallion. But every person will have a predominant tendency of either being a mule or a stallion. This seems to imply that he is either a follower or a leader.
ReplyDeleteAs a pastor, you like "mules" who follow your lead, and you do not like "stallions" who you think will "steal your thunder," just as King Saul had severe issues with his greatest general, the future King David.
I guess I never thought of gentle, patient, kind Jesus as being like a mule. Perhaps more like being a dove. When he cleared the temple, he was perhaps like an angry bull, rather than a fast stallion.
If there is a covenant commitment in a God ordained marriage, even if both are like stallions, their marriage will be a whole lot more fun than if both were like mules, don't you think?