Things we should let go

Legend has it that when he was asked to preach in chapel at Luther Seminary years and years ago, Prof. Gerhard Forde walked to the podium with a thick file folder, dropped it loudly on the surface and told his hearers, "These are all the letters I've received as a pastor and teacher over the years. I just want you to know what being faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ might get you."

I've been a pastor for almost ten years now. Most of my stuff is now digital, but I still do my best to get some written correspondence out and about for various reasons. As I've received things over the years, whether by e-mail or letter, I've filed them in a file labeled "Correspondence," in a similar vein to what Dr. Forde kept of his own correspondence. Until recently, that is.

See, here's the thing: I kept everything. I kept thank you letters from people in my first congregation, but I kept unsigned letters from folks also. I kept the letters from people I'd upset and from people who felt I'd done a good job. I kept a thick packet of e-mail correspondence from one person who had embarked on a campaign that was both bizarre and a little frightening, enough so that I'd printed them all out and asked a trusted mentor to go over them with me so I could make heads or tails of what was going on. It was a record of the good and the bad in my career, and occasionally I'd leaf through it. Thankfully, the file was filled with far more gracious responses than angry attacks, but there were some doozies in there.