Care of Pastors

I begin each day with scripture reading from the Bible, but ashamedly, once I get going with the rest of my day, I barely remember what I’ve read.  I think writing about something I learned or something that stood out to me, will help me retain what I read and apply it to my life.

A while back I started a reading plan on Youversion.com that will guide me through the Old Testament in one year.  Right now, I am reading in Numbers, Psalms, and 2 Kings.  Today’s reading is from Numbers, chapter 18.

“The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your father’s family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood.” ~Numbers 18:1
What a huge responsibility!  Here in Numbers, Aaron has assumed the role of leader of the followers of God, formerly held by his brother Moses.  Today, our church pastors assume the same role.  They are the leaders of God’s people.  They carry a heavy burden that only those in ministry can understand.

“8Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share.9 You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons.

10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.

11 “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the Lord as the firstfruits of their harvest.

13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the Lord is yours.15 The first offspring of every womb, both man and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.” ~Numbers 18:8-14

What a different attitude we have now!  Aaron lived before Jesus was born.  Therefore, Aaron and the followers of God lived under Old Testament law, all 613 of them.  Their offerings were required under the law, and as God says here, they were given in order to care for the preist.  Nowadays, people gasp if a pastor eats out at a nice restaurant, drives a nice car, or takes an extravagant vacation.  Why do we think that pastors and ministry staff have to be poor?

I’m not taking a side here, just posing the question.  I think maybe the way we think about care for pastors in current times may be a little twisted.  As I said before, pastors carry an extremely heavy burden.  They will answer for each and every one of us before the Lord.  So maybe. . . just maybe. . . our attitude for their care needs a little adjustment?