Preachers and money

j_seph said:

Why does he deserve to make more than the average of his congregation? In God's eyes he is no less nor no greater than you, me, or anyone else. God is no respecter of person. You preach/pastor because God called you to do so. God gave the burden, if God did not give the pastor the burden then he should not be standing behind the book board. It is not a position to be working for "money", that should be at the bottom of the list.

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I'm not sold on "the call." I read in the good book where "he who desires the office of a bishop desireth a good thing." It says nothing of "called." I desired to be an engineer, so I became one. It seems reasonable to say the same of a preacher.

EverGreen1231 said:

I'm not sold on "the call." I read in the good book where "he who desires the office of a bishop desireth a good thing." It says nothing of "called." I desired to be an engineer, so I became one. It seems reasonable to say the same of a preacher.

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That's an excellent point.

I think money talks. I don't think men say that without reason. And like many things that are passing away its voice gets louder the nearer to its demise it comes.
I think most everything finds a fury just before its life, found in the knowledge that its life, is about to be snuffed out. All pretty much...except One
"As a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth".

What's the point? Part is projection. Part is what we ourselves are experiencing as this voice is raised. Money really wants for the disciple's deep attention. Perhaps deepest (next to his own self). This false bulwark to being has always had great sway in the mind of man. And, as the disciple begins to become aware of it...and its pull, many struggles and sufferings may ensue.

Money has taken on the representation of so many things, peace, security, happiness, the manifest show of bigness. Even of "life" itself...having smiled upon us.
But we, who are set for a thing far greater than the seems of this present age must find ourselves engaged in that fight of faith against all that is of seems, for the true.

It's too easy then, while in this arena, often being bloodied to some extent to hold to truth, that a look around at others claiming this same arena don't appear engaged in the same fight. This is where projection may distort. If I am fighting the reign of money in my mind and heart as to its seating there (and perhaps it's of some wisdom to never underestimate its desire to reign) and see one who claims to not only "be" in this same arena...(but has in some form of claim) risen to some level of master in it, teacher in it, (after all we are discussing "pastors"/teachers) with what I would consider (perhaps in error, by my own metrics) an overabundance of it, it's far to easy for me to project this is all and only result of his (or her) willing surrender to it.

But money is not all, and only, is it? In this arena we find friends are invaluable. We are, whether we know it or not, always keen to a searching for "who's got the goods". Who's got the scars that speak of a prior triumph from which I might be equipped to a victory...or help in it. I have met many, and continue to meet many. And desperation is a great teacher when we find ourselves with enemy's sword at throat, the man with bulging pockets may find rescue by the pauper, and the pauper may find friend in gold laden fellow. It's a place we learn...we cannot do without friend, despite all prior and previous "wiser" dismissals.

Of course...it is always and only the Lord. But while we are too quick to dismiss and decide only how He may come to us, we may find ourselves in need of revisit. It's His choice how He appears. Whether in rags or tailored suit.

(Or an engineer with possible pocket protector)