Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. Galatians 6:6
This is an interesting segue. Paul has reminded his Galatian friends that they should carry each other’s burdens and that they should share Jesus in doing so. Now, he tells them that they should share any benefit they get from this with him (i.e. the instructor who instructed them on the ways of the Lord).
In reality, why should this be surprising? We should each carry our own load; we should each be willing to ‘be Jesus’ for people who may not know Him, who may need Him in ways we don’t know. And, too often, we don’t. Not only, but especially in our secular-led world, many people don’t know where to start in faith. Many people are not fully instructed in Scripture, the deep meanings of it, the picture of how it is matters to all of us.
Enter the pastor. Pastors help us carry the load. They’re are imperfect vessels called and taught how to carry the perfect message. They’re people, just like anyone else, and they have an immensely tough job. How would you like to have God make it known to you that He’s going to use you to talk about Him to people who want nothing do to with Him? Ever feel like Jonah? Or John the Baptist (who lost his head in the end)? Have you ever had a job that, at times, felt rewarding down to your soul but, at other times, left you frustrated, discouraged, and distraught?
Again, the pastor. To become a full pastor takes years of education, including post-graduate studies, just like a doctor or a lawyer. Indeed, that shouldn’t be surprising. It takes monumental effort to learn all about the human body and how to treat it, or all the complexities of the law. So it is, as well, with how to minister to God’s people with His sometimes nuanced, sometimes complex, always challenging Word. A minister’s entire career is spent teaching the black and white words of Scripture to people whose lives all operate in gray. It can be the most rewarding job you ever hate to love (and sometimes hate to love) but do anyway. They aren’t superheroes, but sometimes we expect them to be.
So pay them. Pay them well. We all talk about how teachers deserve more compensation, and they do. But also pay our pastors. Their work is often thankless but they do it because God put it on their hearts, because they want to honor Him. If you don’t want to pay them Joel Osteen’s salary, then please give them much more than a pittance or junk for Jesus. They’re worth it.
For further reading: 1 Corinthians 9:11&14. 1 Timothy 5:17-18, Galatians 6:7
Lord, bless our pastors and thank You for using people like them to minister to us.
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