¹² Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. ¹³ Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Dear God, I have to say that I’m grateful you didn’t call me to be a church staff or pastor. And I want to repent to you right now for not…well, there is the controversy in our town I mentioned a couple of days ago, and my response to it has been less than what you would expect from me. There has been some hubris on my part. Especially given that I am so ignorant as to what you would have to say about this. So let me start by saying that I am sorry to you for some of the things I’ve said this week. Help me to be an edifying person. Holy Spirit, reveal my inner insecurity to me and show me how you are making be to be better and more Jesus-like.

Pastors have a very difficult job. I was listening to the Voxology Podcast this week and, at the beginning, they were answering a listener’s question about the use of titles in the church and whether that was appropriate. Did calling someone a pastor or reverend sent them up in a superior position to others around them. The ultimate answer was (and I think I’m characterizing this correctly) that it is appropriate for pastors to carry that designation because of the responsibility that is on them to guide the people around them, but they just need to be careful to not use power over but power with the people they lead. It can seem like a fine line, but it’s an important distinction.

Father, help me to honor everyone today. Friends. Family. Coworkers. Those who like me. Those who don’t like me. Those who cooperate with me and those who stand against work I do. Help me to honor everyone and see them with your eyes. I have some important meetings today in which we will be making hard decisions. Guide me in that. Holy Spirit, be very present in each room. And for the one patient coming today who will need extra physical assistance, please provide for us as we try to help him.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen