As I was sitting in church, listening to my pastor share the Word of God, I thought about what a unique gift our pastors are to us. They are given to us as voices of wisdom and guidance; and, sometimes, loving correction. The uniqueness of this gift is that they are God’s gift to us. He purposely placed them in our lives to be our blessing. They are uniquely equipped and qualified for the task. The qualification resides in their hearts; and, is superintended by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:11-12 (GWT)
He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts <to his church>. {12} Their purpose is to prepare God’s people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ.”
There are times when the high calling of being shepherds and the accompanying pressures of their responsibilities weigh heavily on our pastors. These pressures challenge them to grow and change to be more like Jesus, day-by-day. The beautiful thing is that the pressures can turn a pastor toward a greater determination to serve and bless. However, they can also become discouraging; and, try to block or diminish our pastors’ desires to serve.
When was the last time you gave your pastor a gift? Perhaps a compliment or an expression of love would make an awesome gift that he or she might need at this moment. Well, don’t just sit there. Decide what you will do for your pastor and then, just do it!