Honor

There is a great book about honor that really impacted my life, it is called Honor's Reward by John Bevere.  A few years back our church went through the series on a Wednesday night.  There are a couple things that really have stuck with me, and have become part of who I am.  Since it is Pastor Appreciation Month, I will focus on that.   We need to honor our Pastors.  In theory I am sure we all think we do this, but in reality some of our behaviors may be less than honoring:

I Timothy 5: 17-18  Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 

  a) Being on time - how many come in to church late, show up to other meetings late?  This is something that God has really done a work in me about because I have never had any concept of time.;  I was one of those people that the family also ways told me thirty minutes early to arrive so that I would only be five minutes late.  Although I still have no concept of time, I make sure that I am on time, and if for some reason I am not, I apologize.  It is usually dismissed, but I honor their time.

b) Be formal - Call them Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, whatever your denomination calls those that lead ministry.  My skin crawls when I hear someone reference the leader by their first name alone.  It is not an age thing, most of my pastors are younger than I am, it is a respect thing.

c) Don't disrupt - this may or may not have been in the book, but don't get up in the middle of the service. As a young person, I admit I was bored in big church.  I was the one that was always being told "shhhh" or I was getting up and down throughout the service, passing notes, etc.  This was rude behavior, and really unacceptable for a young person, and even more so for adults.  It not only can distract the preacher, but it disrupts the people around you.  I am easily distracted, and now I am more aware that my nonsense as a child, could have disrupted someone from hearing the message that would save their soul.  I look forward to being in Heaven and seeing the lives I have impacted, but oh how my heart breaks for those I might have distracted from the kingdom.

d) Don't talk bad about them or too them. So you didn't like the message, the song service, or it was too long, or too short.  Keep your mouth shut - it is not about you.  Unless you were the only person that was in the congregation that day (and  that would make you the preacher to an empty church), maybe someone else needed a Word.  Maybe someone else needed a breakthrough that would come through worship.  My momma always said "If you ain't got nothing nice to say, don't say it."  Build them up with your words, don't tear them down.

e) Pay your tithes - this goes to support the church, and yes, pay the pastors who lead the congregations.  So many people have no problem sitting in church week after week and giving nothing.  I am sure that you would want to go to work  day after day and not be paid.  Tithing is a whole blog in and of itself, but honor your pastors with tithes, offerings, and gifts.

f) Pray for your pastors.  Pastors deal with their own problems, in addition to helping people in the congregation, and those who walk in from the street.  They deal with the physical, emotional, mental and most of all spiritual needs of people.  They need to be covered in their congregations prayer, just as much as the congregation should be covered in their prayers.

Be intentional with your honor of those who lead you spiritually.  Realize they may not be perfect, but God has appointed them, and you have set yourself under them with God's direction.  Your words and actions should always honor them - intentionally.