I always heard ministry could be dangerous...

Despite the stereotype of the minister in 21st century North America as an overweight man with soft hands and a bad comb-over, driving around in a Cadillac, Scripture and the history of the Church paints ministry as a dangerous calling. All but one of the 12 Apostles met violent deaths. Saint Paul was beheaded. Jeremiah the prophet is said to have been sawn in two. The faithful have been burned alive, fed to lions, and generally abused in all sorts of ways. So when I got into ministry, I knew there was a chance it could turn out to be dangerous

(which is why I don't understand all the evangelical whining about those mean atheists trying to "take God out" of the public square: first, that's ontologically impossible, and second, whatever happened to "all men will hate you because of Me"? but that's another story for another day)

But I didn't realize just how dangerous it could be until yesterday...



So I guess I was sharing my office with a brown recluse spider. Now it's just a smudge on my carpet, but I can't help but thinking that where there was one brown recluse, there are probably more nearby. So now ever time I feel (or think I feel) anything tickle my leg, or neck, or back, or head, I get the heeby jeebies :)