“Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scriptures say, “Never tie up the mouth of an ox when it is treading out the grain—let him eat as he goes along!” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” [1 Timothy 5: 17 – 18 TLB]

What we are doing today, setting aside a day to appreciate our pastors, is in the scripture and so we are only obeying the word of God. It is natural and expected of any human being to not just appreciate pastors but make it a way of life. Be the kind of person that appreciates whatever people do for you; it gladdens the heart of those people and make others to know that faithfulness can be rewarded.

Why did we set today apart to appreciate our pastors? Because the attitude of appreciation will attract good things to our lives. When people know that you are not an ingrate, that whatever is done for you is met with appreciation, it makes them value you and go out of their way to do more. Everyone in the church doing one thing or the other to impact our lives should be appreciated and encouraged to do more. We’re are appreciating our pastors for the work that God is doing through them. In Galatians 6: 6, the Bible records, ‘’Those who are taught the Word of God should help their teachers by paying them’’ [KJV]. It’s not just something you do once but all the time as your resources permit.

Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9: 1 – 13,  ‘’I am an apostle, God’s messenger, responsible to no mere man. I am one who has actually seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes. And your changed lives are the result of my hard work for him. If in the opinion of others, I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you, for you have been won to Christ through me. This is my answer to those who question my rights. Or don’t I have any rights at all? Can’t I claim the same privilege the other apostles have of being a guest in your homes? …  And must Barnabas and I alone keep working for our living while you supply these others?  What soldier in the army has to pay his own expenses?  … And I’m not merely quoting the opinions of men as to what is right. I’m telling you what God’s law says.  For in the law God gave to Moses he said that you must not put a muzzle on an ox to keep it from eating when it is treading out the wheat. Do you suppose God was thinking only about oxen when he said this? Wasn’t he also thinking about us? Of course he was. He said this to show us that Christian workers should be paid by those they help…

“We have planted good spiritual seed in your souls. Is it too much to ask, in return, for mere food and clothing? You give them to others who preach to you, and you should. But shouldn’t we have an even greater right to them? Yet we have never used this right but supply our own needs without your help. We have never demanded payment of any kind for fear that, if we did, you might be less interested in our message to you from Christ. Don’t you realize that God told those working in his temple to take for their own needs some of the food brought there as gifts to him? …”  [TLB].

God has given a commandment that those who preach the gospel should be appreciated by those that receive the gospel. What we are talking about is not the concept of anybody. When we gave our lives to Christ and were called into ministry several years ago, many of us, like myself, never knew we would own a house or have a car, or even marry and have children. We were not thinking about that but with time we discovered that all these “benefits” are Biblical. I consider myself an employee of God, for most of the time, people I don’t even know are the ones that blesses me in different ways.

There was a time in the history of Israel when they neglected their responsibility towards the priests and the Levites. As a result, the Levites abandoned their responsibility in the temple and returned to their farms. Prophet Jeremiah as Governor of Jerusalem was very angry when he saw that the temple have been abandoned. He had to fight to restore the tradition of providing for the priests and Levites so that they can concentrate on the temple assignment given to them. Afterall, they did not on their own choose to be priests, it was God that called them to take care of the temple and the people of God. But because the people of God forgot their responsibility towards them, they had to leave so as to work and provide for themselves and their families thereby grounding the work of God. As expected,  God was not happy with the people and we would be  bringing a curse on ourselves if we do the same.

In conclusion, it is not only a responsibility to take care of those that minister to us spiritually, it is a source of attracting God’s blessing. For example in Mathew 10: 41 Jesus said ‘’If you welcome a prophet because he is a man of God, you will be given the same reward a prophet gets. And if you welcome good and godly men because of their godliness, you will be given a reward like theirs’’ [TLB]. Now look at the reward as exemplified in 2 kings 4: 8 – 17: The woman of Shunem, hitherto without a son, was blessed with one because of her hospitality. So, there is a blessing that follows this responsibility of taking care of men of God.

Another example is found in 1 kings 17: 1 – 24; at that time, Israel had so broken the heart of God that His servant Elijah said because of this wickedness there will be no rain in the land for three and half years and God honoured the words of His servant. God told Elijah to go to a place where he was sustained by a raven. Later Elijah was asked to go to the widow of Zarephath who will take care of him. The widow that God planned to take care of Elijah throughout the period of famine had just a portion of meal left for her and the son. When Elijah arrived at the village, he called the woman to get him a cup of water, while on her way toto do so, Elijah called her back and asked for some food also – the woman explained her dire situation and that the only food left was for her and the son to eat and then  wait for death! Elijah insisted that she should bring a little for him first. The woman obeyed. Elijah prophesied to her that because of her obedience she will not lack food all through the famine because she dared to believe God and took care of His servant.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His principles are the same though the methods may change. If you do the same thing and take care of God’s servants, God will surprise you and make ways for you even where there are no ways. We have another glorious opportunity today to be blessed by encouraging God’s servants and fulfill our own responsibility as children of God. God knows that most of us don’t have much but He just wants us to show appreciation as much as we can from our limited resources. May God help us to respond appropriately.