1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

It would appear that pastors have faced the same pitfalls ever since the 1st Century! Peter’s words of caution resonate as relevant to all who observe the Church, as well as those who serve in it. It is a sadly simple matter to start naming examples of Church leaders who have fallen into the traps Peter mentions, but that in itself benefits no one. The important thing is for believers to be on the lookout for signs of these problems in their leaders, and to pray for them to be able to avoid them. However, I have seen churches that were so eager to keep their pastor from being greedy for money that they hardly paid him enough to live on! That puts the pastors in real danger of despising the work to which they have been assigned, and again benefits no one. We have all seen pastors who were “control freaks,” strangling the church by insisting everything meet their approval, but there can be a fine line between avoiding that and becoming irresponsible. I think the bottom line is that pastors are at least as much in need of the grace of God as anyone else, and they and their flocks need to recognize that and act accordingly.

I’ve tripped up on several points in this list. First of all, I didn’t really want to be a pastor but rather a Bible teacher, and I’ve grumbled about it more than I like to think about over the years. However, God has both grown and blessed me in it, and the thought of retiring is not a happy one. I’m thankful for Moses’ example! I’ve also had trouble with the opposite poles of micro-managing and of being irresponsible. I have tended to micro-manage because I thought I could do it better than anyone else, but even in instances where that is true it doesn’t allow for growth in anyone else. I have tended to be irresponsible because I have sloughed off tasks that seemed unpleasant or “didn’t fit my gift set.” Needless to say, none of those things have brought good results! It is a comfort to me that I have improved over the years, but it is hardly a source of pride that it took me so long to do so. I have had greater success than many, proportionally speaking, at raising up young pastors, but I have the sneaking feeling that they have looked at me and decided they could do it better! I need to flow in the grace of God more and more, for myself and for those I lead, so that His plans for us may be fulfilled on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for appointing me to ministry and for Your incredible patience with me in all the stumbling I’ve done in the process. Help me indeed be an example to the flock, both when they are watching and when they are not, because You are always watching, and You know my heart. May I be an open channel of Your blessing to them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!