Week 10 Scripture: Galatians 4:8-20
I attend a seminary. Seminaries are loaded with
people who intend to go into ministry full-time. Classes are designed to
prepare them for real-life church situations like counseling, leadership, or
financial dealings. Many of the people in seminary are young, bright-eyed, and
often naïve. I’ve heard people talk about the “lax job” of their pastors.
American churches—and especially youth pastors—are known for having “easy
hours,” “freedom,” and daily coffee “meetings.” Because church leaders are in
the business of people, their meetings often center around a meal or coffee. In
any case, the public perception of what pastors “do” has come somewhat unbalanced.
Certainly, there are leaders who take advantage of their job, title, and
freedom, but this is not the norm. Leadership, regardless or whether in
full-time ministry or not, is difficult. In fact, when Paul describes his
leadership function in Galatia, he does so by describing his job in terms of
“labor pains” (Gal 4:19). I can simply think back to my wife’s own experience
of labor pain, and tell you it was neither pleasant for her nor an experience I
would ever want to find myself. This video shows two unsympathetic husbands who
needed to understand the pain of their wives during labor:
The experience of these men is what
Paul describes as “leadership.” Leading and influencing people is not only
difficult, but it is painful. However, through this pain comes great joy at the
arrival of the child. For Paul, he was willing to go through the “labor pains
until Christ is formed in you.” Leadership is sacrifice, but great reward.
Leadership means waking up at two in the morning to pick up a drunken friend at
the bar. It is sitting with a co-worker for hours because they feel unworthy
and want to take their own life. Being a leader is not a convenience, but often
a burden. Here is the burden Paul endured, and which he tells us to “imitate”
(Gal 4:12):
“
24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty
lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I
was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from
rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the
wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in
toil and hardship, through many a
sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart
from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:24-28).
Questions To Ponder:
1.
Has your leadership/influence looked like
Paul’s? Have you given yourself to others as Paul has?
2.
How would those around you be influenced if you
were to give with this much labor? Explain.
3. What can you do this week
to begin to reflect the type of leadership Paul is encouraging? Share some
ideas.
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