¨ Dear brothers, honor your leaders in the work of the Lord. They work hard with you and give you spiritual guidance. Give them a lot of respect and wholeheartedly show them love for the work they do. And live in peace with each other. "
1 Thessalonians 5:12 (New Living Translation).
To honor means to respect, to recognize a virtue, to give merit and demonstration of appreciation, to have a good opinion towards the other person. In this case the apostle Paul refers to our leaders, be shepherds, teachers, apostles.
We must honor them because God has placed them in that place and because those people constantly watch over our souls, asking God for us, they battle in the spiritual world for our blessings. The spiritual authorities are in that position, because they have gone through many circumstances in which they have been left to try and mold by God, in which they bring us certain advantages, having the experience and the moral authority to advise and exhort us.
We forget that by not doing so, we retain the blessings for our life, first let's honor God; He does everything, because God honors those who honor him, our leaders are in some way representatives of God on earth, so we should never speak ill of them, criticize, much less judge them, it is often difficult for us to hold on, we do not want obey, or follow a simple advice, because if they correct us what we do is to bother and speak badly and even form a storm in a glass of water and in the worst case we withdraw from the church. We are waiting for them to do something bad to go against and we ignore the good things they have done for us. If we do not agree with something, things are clarified by speaking directly with them, expressing ourselves in the best possible way, with love and respect.
The task of a leader is not easy at all, it is a job that requires a lot of dedication, love and patience, because having to deal with and cope with thousands of complex situations with different types of personalities is not something simple; To tolerate, to be patient, to pray and to intercede for all of them, is not something that should be done in a mediocre manner, but giving the best of oneself, out of love and compassion for one's neighbor. That task contains many things, within which love, disciple, teach, guide, be an example, encourage, care but also admonish, correct, exhort. (1 Thessalonians 5:13)
Let's not act in revenge, let's not let our heart be filled with resentment, because no one is perfect, and even leaders also make mistakes, if we notice that they are doing something that goes against the things of God, let's speak, pray but not Let's spread gossip throughout the congregation, damaging anyone's testimony. There are things that only correspond to God and he is the only one that removes kings and puts kings.
"Be always happy. Never stop praying. Be grateful in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you, those who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 (New Living Translation).
Let us do good, not paying evil for evil, because some day we will be judged and that power has not been given to us, only God can do it, let the goal his powerful hand for us, we do not form contentions, nor waste time in arguments that damage our heart On the contrary, we are grateful, may the Lord fill us with his joy and never forget the important role of prayer.
Do not quench the Holy Spirit. Do not make fun of the prophecies, but test everything that is said. Retain what is good. Stay away from all kinds of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5: 19-22 (New Living Translation)
