Don't Be A Hireling

The devil has been looking for inroads to the Church since its beginnings. Unfortunately, he's had some success. However, he has not been able to, nor will he ever, have victory over that which really is God's. We know his motives. John 10:10 says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly". We also know God's motives. An abundant life is one that is lived in the fullness of His Spirit. Why do so few get there? Jesus has entrusted pastors and teachers to guide us to life abundant. I believe that most of them desire to. The trouble is that many of them do not take that charge seriously. They don't love the people they serve enough to stand up for their spiritual well-being. In John 10:11-13, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep". Many care about the church numbers, tithes, status, the appearance of the building, etc., and leave their people open for attack. They run from topics that would cause a stir or incite real growth, because they care more about these things than their people. With those that God has entrusted to us, have we done the same? Do we leave them exposed for the enemy because we are scared when we see him coming on the horizon (sin or indifference creeping into someone's life)? We must stand firm and lead His people toward the truth, so they may be set free to do the same.

We are truly in trouble any time we care more about the people that scratch our backs, than those that break their backs to get us to where we are. We should never be like the world, where a single mother of three can get laid off just to make one stockholder happy. We should bestow love upon all.