I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
(1 Corinthians 9:8-14, NASB)
Some followers of Christ are called to full time ministry: pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries. They devote their lives to serving God, to reaching the unsaved, to supporting the “least of these,” and to equip the saints.
Those whom God has called to serve Him full time have needs, those same needs we looked at yesterday.
And they need to have those needs met as well.
We who are not called to full time ministry have a wonderful privilege of supporting those who are. We can contribute to godly ministries. We can tithe to our local churches. We can financially support missionaries.
And when we give a portion of what God’s given us to meet our needs, we help to meet the needs of God’s full time servants as well.
It truly is a privilege because we have a small part in growing God’s kingdom when we support those who have committed their lives to serve Him and others. When we help to provide for their needs, we allow them to focus on their calling.
What a blessing!
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