Well, October has come and gone,
and so has our responsibility to show appreciation for our pastors, right? Well, none of us would ever come out and say
that, would we? But what do we actually do? Once we’ve sent them cards or made them a
special treat or contributed to a gift to show our appreciation - or maybe even
done all three, what then? Have we done
enough?
Scripture
tells us that we are to “appreciate those who diligently labor among [us], and
have charge over [us] in the Lord and give [us] instruction, and that [we]
esteem them very highly in love because of their work…” 1Thess. 5:12-13 It doesn’t tell us that this responsibility
begins on October 1 and ends on October 31 each year. This is an ongoing responsibility.
So,
just what does this look like? Are we to
continue to send them cards or give them treats or buy them gifts? While these things are good, there are other
ways we can do this throughout the year.
One
way is given for us in the remainder of verse 13 which is not included
above. Immediately after we are told to
esteem them highly in love because of their work, we are told to “live in peace
with one another.” Isn’t this the desire
of every true shepherd of the flock - that his people would get along with each
other. So, as Rom. 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace
with all men.”
This
leads to another example of how we can appreciate our pastors. If you are a parent and you have taught or are
teaching your children the good and right way to live, even if they get along
with each other but they completely disregard whatever else you have taught
them, does this give you the message that they have appreciated your efforts to
bring them up right? In the same way, we show a lack of appreciation for those
who labor among us by disregarding their instruction. Since the work of a pastor is to exhort us to
trust God, to honor and obey Him with our lives, when we do so, we are not only
honoring and obeying the Lord (which is of the utmost importance), but we are
also honoring and appreciating our pastors as well (and also in this way
honoring the Lord.)
Another
way of honoring them is actually touched on (and assumed) in the above verses,
and that is that we labor among them.
The verse actually says that they labor among us, but this
implies that we are also working.
We are not to have the attitude that it is all their
responsibility because they are getting paid to do the work. We are to be involved with them in the work.
That
work takes many forms - from the purely practical things like helping to keep
the property maintained in a way that honors the Lord, serving others through
the helping hands ministry, watching children in the nursery or keeping the
church checkbook balanced, to teaching a class or leading a Bible study or
helping out with the summer Day Camp ministry.
But the overarching “work” that we have been given to do, in which we as
believers are all partners is that of making disciples. All of the above examples contribute in some
way to that end. Then there is the very
personal one on one experiences of our everyday lives where we rub shoulders
with others - ministering to their needs and speaking to them in ways that
would point them to the Lord Jesus. As
we do this, we bring joy to the hearts of our shepherds.
There
are other ways of appreciating and esteeming our pastors highly in love, but
there is just one more to be mentioned here and it was left for last
intentionally - not because it is the least important, but because it is of the
utmost importance. And that is that we
are to pray for our pastors - fervently and consistently. When we do the other things mentioned above,
we are doing what we can, and that is wonderful. But when we pray for them, we are asking God
to do what He can do on their behalf.
His ability to know just what their needs are at any given moment and
His power to help them, unlike ours, are unlimited. He can do what is humanly impossible
for us to do. And this is far
better. And as we faithfully and
diligently pray for our pastors, there’s even a good chance that our heavenly
Father may show us other ways that we might be an encouragement and a help to
them as well.
So,
even though October is over, please don’t neglect your responsibility before
the Lord to “appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge
over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very
highly in love because of their work.” 1Thess. 5:12-13
Note: These words were not
written by any of your pastors.
