The Moochers

I watched a mother and a father
Finch feed their biddies.
A pile of seed was scattered for them
Underneath the trees.
The biddies followed their parents
And picked up their own seed,
But one biddy begged, "You feed me,"
With blatant, lazy greed.
This bird was old enough to fly.
His siblings ate their own,
But this bird in particular
Seemed dumb, for he was grown. 
His feathers ruffled in a fit
And his mouth opened wide.
The mother stopped her own eating 
To feed him by her side,
And then she could not feed herself.
His siblings drew toward them 
Wanting attention too,
So the father stepped in.
The seed was fed to the biddies--
Bit by bit, one seed, one seed--
And the strangest, saddest thing of all
Is there was not a need.

Then, I think about the Church
And how we do the same.
We go and get fed once a week--
Now I'm not casting blame,
But the bread of life is in our homes
And we don't pick it up. 
We isolate ourselves six days
Then drink communion's cup!
Don't you know our pastors are tired?
Don't you know they have needs?
How can they eat, how can we help,
If we don't gather seeds?
Let's eat together, stay a flock
(But also gather feed),
And help the pastors mature us;
Help them to better lead.

Day 35

If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?…Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:11, 12b-14).

My pastor says that the pastors are not the only ministers of the church. Everyone in the church is a minister. Lay people can go places and witness for Christ where the pastors would never go by limitations or inability or some other impediment. But I think it’s our job not only to minister to those outside the church, or those younger in the faith, etc. I think we are also supposed to minister to our pastors, elders, and leaders too. I’m not one to think I have much to offer anyone, but I usually find that I underestimate myself as any consequence. What if we all celebrated Pastor Appreciation Day? I’ll admit first that I haven’t very well, but what if I did and what if you did? In a small church of 100 members, it would be like getting 100 birthday presents, whether they be cards, cookies, calls, flowers, gift cards, a meal out, a prayer, some vacation money, you name it. It would be positively overwhelming. Typically, our pastors are terribly overwhelmed. When I was a pastor’s assistant, it meant the world when someone left me a note or some candies on Administrative Assistant Appreciation Day. I didn’t deserve it, but I think our pastors do. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” A part of that is giving your tithe. Cookies are great, but getting your paycheck is probably better. I know people who tithe to charities or through their own philanthropy, but not to the church. I’m sorry, but that’s just not Biblical. You have to do both. God commanded, “Take care that you do not neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land” (Deuteronomy 12:19). Pastors are what Levites were.^* Let’s honor them as such.

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* What I mean here is that pastors teach the Scriptures like Levites were responsible for helping teach worshippers the will and ways of God. Pastors do not and cannot replace the role of the Levite in the literal sacrificial system. The Levites supported the priests, and God made a special covenant with Aaron’s descendants forever (Num. 18:19). Ezekiel tells us there is a temple yet to come, and priests and Levites will have a role in that again. But let it be clear that our true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin has been made once for all (Heb. 7:27, 10:10). Expiatory sacrifices were only one type of sacrifice, and the sacrificial system is only a shadow of the true Sacrifice, which is Christ (Heb. 10:1).