GIFTS MUST NEVER BE TREATED ANYHOW
We were heading out that morning when I saw two small plastic-like objects in the car. I wondered what they were. Irewamiri explained that they were from Danielle’s wristwatch. She got a toy-like wristwatch as a birthday gift, and it was already falling apart.
Some days later, I spotted the wristwatch under the dining table. Its strap was somewhere else, and the body of the watch was already falling into different places and pieces. I shook my head and said in my heart, “This is not how to treat a gift.”
For instance, Jesus Christ is the gift of God to the World. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God to the saved. Men in the five-fold ministry are the gift of Christ to the body of Christ. All these amazing gifts must not be treated anyhow.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. Now, these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
Ephesians 4:7, 11 NLT
The appropriate response to Christ is a surrender of our lives for salvation. The appropriate response to the Holy Spirit is yieldedness to His leading. The right response to the fivefold ministry is submission and obedience to instructions and training.
Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them a reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
Hebrews 13:17 NLT
Unfortunately, today men treat gifts anyhow. We slam our pastors on social media. We dishonour without thinking twice. We say on social media things we cannot say in their space. We hide under anonymity and the distance to shoot arrows. We caused a lot of pain. We smashed our gifts.
When you are given a gift on your birthday, how do you treat it? Do you start juggling the new phone like a soccer ball? No! Gifts are treated well. You do not take your new plasma TV and use it as target practice for throwing stones. You treat it well.
Your pastors are worthy of double honour:
Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.
1 Timothy 5:17 NLT
You should esteem them highly:
Dear brothers and sisters, honour those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 NLT
And yes! Be a blessing to them:
Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
Galatians 6:6 NLT
Do not smash your gifts.
Treat them well.
Tell your pastor “Thank You” today.
temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa