THE SHEPHERD’S REWARD!

THE SHEPHERD’S REWARD!

Matt 10:16

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Luke 6:22-23

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

          In my inbox this morning was a long list of reasons why men abandon the ministry. A well respected researcher listed long hours, little pay and even less appreciation as incentives for the minister to quit. Impossible expectations, double standards, and human conflict added to the depressing weight. But the list was missing some very important things.

          For every human conflict that the minister must endure there are innumerable steadfast friends! The long hours of being on call and on the job is balanced by flexibility. For every disappointing human failure there are countless reasons to rejoice, and even a few miracles along the way. This is not carpentry or mechanics. It resembles farming which is subject to the quality of the soil and the timely mixture of sun and rain. God is the essential ingredient in every success and the comfort in every loss.

The concept of ministry is strengthened when the use of the Greek word ‎doulos ‎is noted. This was the term for a bondslave, one who was offered his freedom but who voluntarily surrendered that freedom in order to remain a servant. This idea typified Jesus' purpose, as described by Paul in Phil 2:7.

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

          Raw statistics cannot, by themselves, measure the profitability of ministry. If you want to be rich then enter the marketplace. If you want to be respected become a physician. If you want power become a lawyer. But if you want to make a difference in the lives of people for all eternity then the calling of gospel ministry has no equal.

1 Tim 1:12

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Thank you Lord for the for the flock you have placed in my hands. Let me always be faithful. Let me always measure success and failure in the same way as you do. AMEN