Are you a gatekeeper or doorkeeper?

The other day when I was at California Adventure with my family, the boys went on a ride that my 3 year old daughter couldn’t do. While she and I were seeking some shelter from the pouring rain, I was surprised to see a door opened into an unmarked building I’d never noticed. Walking up to the door, I spied a cast member standing there, and a sign that read “Private Holiday Family Party”. When I started to turn around to find a dry place, the lady at the entrance said, “would you like to come in and have some hot cider and snacks?”

Would I? You bet! Soon I stepped into a massive secret warehouse wonderland filled with elves, decorations, characters, crafts, snacks and only about 50 parents with young kids. Disney had set up this hidden spot to give unsuspecting families a place to relax for a little bit. The woman at the door wasn’t a guard to a private event (as I had thought), she was there to find folks to welcome to the party.

When I read about gatekeepers in the Bible I always picture imposing soldiers who stood at the entrance to a city and who were prepared to close the heavily fortified defensive gates at any potential sign of danger. They also were responsible to open the gates at the right time in the morning, and to close them at the proper time of night. These people were essentially in charge of when the city was accessible, and who it was accessible to.

I imagine there was a lot of responsibility, as well as a lot of power, connected to being a gatekeeper.

When I read about doorkeepers, I know that they served much the same function as gatekeepers, but I can’t help but picture a more gracious and inviting person. I immediately think about the best doormen I’ve ever seen, who are prepared to lock the doors if absolutely necessary, but whose primary function is to open the entrance for you while making you feel like the most important person in the world at that moment.

I like to imagine that while the gatekeepers to Jerusalem existed to protect the city, the doorkeepers to the temple were there to welcome people into worship.

I’ve seen leaders who seem to relish their role as gatekeepers. It seems to be up to them who gets special access to the “inside” of an organization or network. They feel like it is necessary work to make sure that only those who are qualified and safe can get in.

There are other leaders who serve as doorkeepers. They may occasionally be pained to keep someone out, but their most enjoyable task is to open the doors and excitedly welcome people inside.

I suppose depending on the context there is a need for both; but I’d rather be a doorkeeper than a gatekeeper any day!