“Just as I myself try to please everybody in every way. I don’t look out for my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of many people, so that they might be saved” 1 Cor. 10:33 (ISV).
Foundation Text: 1 Tim. 3:1-7
NOT GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE:
This series is getting more literal and practical than I anticipated. I thought I would just give us some scriptural basics and we figure out the rest, but it has pleased the Holy Spirit to take me in this direction. Personally, I do not like talking about the awful things that servants of God do. I prefer to focus on the positives I can get from them and let them allow God deal with their negatives. I guess the Holy Spirit pushes us out of ourselves sometimes to do the needful.
The issue I am dealing with in this episode is something that has raised serious debate among us, especially in the religious set ups. Should a man of God demand a fee for his services? Is giving men of God honorarium the right thing to do or rather biblical? These debates have seen the church divide in two extremes in their opinions. And interestingly, these stands are backed up with scriptures. One now begins to wonder if the Bible, which we believe carries the mind of God in written form, is orchestrating confusion in some of these issues.
Well, like the previous issue on servants of God taking alcoholic drinks, the bible provides us with the solution to this problem (that has made some pastors look like villains). The day I encountered the scripture for this episode, my whole perception about honorarium for men of God changed towards the positive angle. Service should be more of giving than taking.
Two key words stood out from that scripture; greed and lucre. GREED is a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed. LUCRE is simply monetary gain (of course you should know what FILTHY LUCRE will now mean). If you come to the rendezvous of these two words, you will realize they talk about an overly attention given to money by servants of God. This is the issue that has to be addressed, and it is an individual thing with God’s servants.
Personally, I trust God to open doors of wealth and money for me as I do His work. But I would not want it to be a premium at the expense of perishing souls. That was Paul’s conclusion of the matter, and that is my stand on the matter too. As a servant of God, let the desire to save lost souls be of primary importance to you than what you will gain.
If this message blessed you, you are free to share it with anybody or group.
Also feel free to share your comments on these issues on any platform you are reading from or send a private comment on my blog site below. I will love to get a feedback from you.
Stay blessed.
©TRANSFORMING WORDS SERIES
(Transforming the World through the Word)
Transforming Word Series 