It's OK to Be a Caretaker in a Church Calling

More than once I've expressed concerns about a possible calling and asked the person asking me about a calling they want me to accept to go back and pray about it. I've told the person that I will accept it if they need me, but that I probably wouldn't be very good at it or would be nothing more than a caretaker in practical terms. Once I was asked to accept it anyway; once I was not approached afterward; once it was put on hold while other things in my life at that time got resolved (my employment).

If I honestly thought I wouldn't do a very good job but was willing to do what I could, and if they knew upfront that I would be doing a mediocre job, I was willing to do it without unrealistic expectations. That way, if anyone complained in any way or tried to guilt me into doing more, I could look them in the eye and say, honestly,

"I told you if you asked me you'd be getting me - and that I probably couldn't do what you thought would be ideal. I'm a caretaker doing the best I can given my circumstances; if that's not enough, release me. There won't be any hard feelings on my part."