1 Thess5:12-13 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work... Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other(NLT)
RESPECT AND HONOUR US
Sometime ago, I needed to do something in a government institution. I had booked an appointment earlier through one of the staff who knew me as a minister of God though she is not my church member nor ministry partner.
On getting there, she treated me like royalty. What she told all other staff was "He's a pastor". Virtually everyone who heard that made things easy for me so I could get things done on time.
I don't introduce myself as a pastor or missionary anywhere I go but on this particular day, the treatment I got made me feel so important. I was proud to be called into the five fold ministry.
The woman who pulled this was older from my perception but she didn't look down on me as younger. She did all she did because I came in the name of the Lord and I prayed for her.
You have a duty to respect your spiritual leaders not because of their age or years of experience in the ministry. Some are always looking for pastors/ preachers that are older in age or those with years of ministerial experience before showing respect. That's subtle arrogance and pride.
While experience is good, it is not equal to the call of God on a man's life and the wisdom of Holy Spirit. We respect our spiritual leaders because it is a scriptural command. It is not debatable.
The Jews didn't respect Jesus when he came, little wonder why they missed their time of visitation: "Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us”( Mark6:3).
They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.*" (Mark 6:4-5 NLT).
As the saying goes, "the anointing you don't respect, you will never attract." You wonder why new comers in living churches get miracles easily and old timers struggle to get answers?
Lack of respect for the anointing upon the anointed of God and familiarity may just be the reason. It happened to the Jews when Christ was on earth and it is happening today.
Stop treating your pastor like a foot mat, respect him, his wife and his family. Don't take access for granted.
Most of us respect the governor of our state or the president of our country but we fail to realize that anyone anointed by God to function in the ministry occupies a greater office than the President of any country in the world regardless of the size of their congregation.
Apostle Paul advised we show our spiritual leaders "great" respect. I may not be able to describe the extent of that "great" respect but as you open your heart to the Spirit of God, you'll begin to see how to respect your spiritual leaders.
Father, I receive the grace to show great respect to my spiritual leaders in Jesus name.