March 14, 2011 Care for Your Leaders

Care for God’s Leaders
Read Joshua 16-18

Josh 18:7 The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance.

THERE ARE 12 tribes of people that form the Hebrew nation. These tribes descend from the 12 sons of Jacob as described in Genesis. The tribe descended from Jacob’s son Levi are the Levites. And God has chosen them to be his priests. Their function is to be God’s representatives among his people, to be sure the Hebrews obey the commandments, the sacrifices, the feasts and the festivals.
The Levites don’t get any land to grow food and livestock. That’s not their task. They are God’s priests. The rest of the nation is to care for its priests and their families.
There is a special responsibility in being called to represent God to his people. There is also a special responsibility to care for God’s priests. Caring for those who represent God is a way we honor God.
Too often we’re of a mind to criticize our pastors and church leaders. We look on them and consider where we think they can do better. We point at them and criticize them. And then we wonder, “Why can’t they be more effective? Or “Why can’t they be a stronger leader?”
Sometimes the answer is in us. We don’t encourage them, we don’t pray for them, and we don’t honor them.
God clearly told the Hebrews to care for his priests. We need to care for those he has chosen to represent him today.


Pause and Consider: how precious God’s Word is to him that he set aside a tribe of people to only priests to protect His Law and His authority.