Thinking or Doing? Or Both?

Spot and I were having a discussion the other day about 19th century social reformers (yeah, it's just amazing the conversations we have). This was triggered by a lecture I'd had earlier that day. One reformer taught and wrote. He didn't really go and do anything, but his ideas, theologies and arguments got others engaged with the ideas and ideals of social reform. Through his work, changes were made in people's (especially clergys') mind set about poverty and disease and the church's role to assist and help elevate them. The other person did stuff. He used his influence in parliament to enact legislation to reduce working hours, do away with child labour, tackle disease and ensure clean water and sanitation for all.

Who did the better job? Spot thought the latter, because they did something. I didn't agree. I think sometimes society needs the thinkers to enable the doers. The former certainly didn't have the same privileged position and influence the latter had, so they may not have been able to do much. Their gift was thinking and writing, which influenced (and may well still influence) how churches think about their role in society and God's kingdom. But I had to acknowledge the latter did do a lot.

Which sort of makes me think of my future role as a minister. While I am called to 'do' ministry, much of what I do will involve words of prayer, of encouragement, of berating, even. I am called to lead and to serve, but I neither can nor should 'do it all'. I can, however use my words to encourage and influence others who can and should.

The whole things got me thinking. We need doers and thinkers in the church. They don't need to be mutually exclusive and people don't have to stay in the same roles all the time. But I think when we're busy doing all the time, there's no time for thinking, no time to consider why we do, what the purpose of the doing is or, if that we're doing is the best way of achieving what we're aiming for. Taking time to think or allowing others to think, because they are removed from the situation, can inform our doing.

Though, all of this is only possible when we are in God and spend time with him. For, if we're constantly thinking and/or doing are we following God or distracting ourselves from the possibility that what we're doing or thinking is not God's path for us?

It's funny, when I began to write this, I didn't expect to get here. I'm not entirely sure if this really makes sense, so apologies. I think I may have a fair bit of reflecting on this to do...