Wednesday, July 31, 2024
The apostle Paul avoided requesting financial support from churches by working with his hands to be self-supporting. [1] However, he made clear in our passage today that "those who work hard" in ministry should be respected for their hard work and should be supported financially.
We know that no human leader is perfect. They each have flaws and fallibilities. So, as followers, we can always find things in a leader to criticize if we choose to do so. However, in a culture that accentuates and criticizes the faults of others, we need to be people who catch others — especially our spiritual leaders — doing what is right, good, godly, and helpful. We need to affirm them in their love for God and His people. We need to rejoice in their hard work for the Lord. Valuing others, especially our leaders, must be a high priority for us as we live for Jesus!
Almighty God, thank You for gifting some to be leaders in Jesus' church. Thank You especially for those who use those gifts to help us serve You effectively and function as the bodily presence of Jesus in our world. Forgive us for our past criticisms and fault-finding in our leaders. Please protect them from attack. Bring others close to hold them accountable and use me to affirm, honor, and build them up. Thank You for our godly Christian leaders. We ask for the reclamation and forgiveness of those leaders who have gone astray. We pray all this in the name of the greatest leader of all time, Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.
'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Comments
Archived Facebook Comments