It’s shocking to hear that a clergy person may be a prostitute, but I have to admit, I tried little click bait. I’m not a prostitute in the conventional sense of the word. That is, I don’t do sexual things for money. But, there are things I do even when I don’t want to. My thinking is that I must do this in order to keep my job. (i.e. earn money) Hence, by definition, I am a prostitute.
We all have our price.
Until we realize, maybe we can rise above that thinking. We don’t have to take a gig when we really don’t want to. Or, when we are only taking it because we are frightened we will not have enough. Every time I say yes, when I don’t want to, I am diminishing my soul.
Many years ago, when I was studying to become a rabbi, a congregant asked me to do his daughter’s Bat Mitzvah ceremony. He had a falling out with the Senior Rabbi and because he was angry at him, he flouted his authority and asked me to perform the ceremony. His plan was to do it in a tent in his backyard, and use me as the officiant. He offered me an ungodly sum – $5,000, which back then, was half a year’s tuition. I wanted to say yes immediately, but I waited.
”You’ll do no such thing.” My best friend told me.
”I won’t?” I asked, surprised. She was usually more pragmatic than that.
”No, you won’t. You will tell him, ‘no’, that you can’t be bought.” She stated simply.
”But I can be bought.” I confessed, really wanting that money.”
”Well, you gain $5,000 today. And later, the Senior Rabbi whom you undermined, will probably not give you a good recommendation. Or, you can say ‘no’ and see what happens.”
I didn’t see I was selling out the long term for the short term.
- Taking the easy money instead of having faith
- Relying on self rather than Infinite God
- Letting fear rule my decisions instead of trusting more fully
When I say ‘no’ to something that may not be good for me, what I am really saying is “yes” to my soul.
I don’t have to act like a prostitute today. God provides what I need as long as I seek to do God’s will and help others.
This whole experience taught me to practice the faith that God has something infinitely more wonderful in store for me. There’s no need to sell out. As long as I’m willing to have integrity and do what I think is right, I am going in a good direction.
How are you acting like a prostitute and doing things you really don’t want to be doing, only because you think you have to?
