Honour Your Spiritual Leaders

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’ Jeremiah 43:2 NIV

There is a trustworthy saying that pride goes before a fall. This describes some of the leaders of Israel’s army in their relationship with the prophet of God, Jeremiah. When the Israelites were in exile in Babylon, they needed to seek God’s counsel on a particular matter.

They sought out Jeremiah, the prophet of the Lord, to inquire on their behalf and tell them about God’s mind. After Jeremiah gave them the counsel of the Lord in Jeremiah 43:1-2, the Bible records that Azariah, Johanan, and all the other arrogant men responded to Jeremiah by accusing him of lying.

One might have thought these men had issues with trusting Jeremiah’s word based on some foreknowledge they had. However, the Bible carefully notes that it was due to their arrogant hearts that they responded by claiming that Jeremiah was lying. Their pride made them reject God’s word. Being arrogant is synonymous with being proud, which refers to showing an offensive attitude of superiority or displaying inordinate self-esteem.

Perhaps they felt at that point that Jeremiah could no longer be trusted since he was a human being like them.
Jeremiah’s response from his inquiry contradicted what they thought he would say. Hence, they rebelled and suffered the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, we forget and belittle the men God has placed in our lives, such as our pastors, disciplers, and Christian leaders in various capacities.

We sometimes forget that the grace of God is upon them to operate in the capacity they are in. Now, because of our pride and arrogant hearts, we find it difficult to receive and be blessed through their ministry. When we obey God’s word, we will undoubtedly reap its fruit. Likewise, when we disobey, we suffer the consequences of our disobedience.

Those leaders of Israel, because of their pride, rejected Jeremiah’s counsel from the Lord. In other words, they lost faith in God in him. They stopped believing in his ministry, and they suffered dearly for it. Jeremiah was a prophet of the Lord to the nation of Israel. For the nation of Israel to be blessed by the Lord, they had to receive his ministry by believing his words and any counsel he brought from the Lord.

Who is that spiritual leader of yours that you are disdaining? I hope you are not treating your pastor with disdain in your heart. What about your unit head in church? Learn to respect and honor the men God has placed in your life, for it is in honoring them that God will bless you.

Although man will always be man, it doesn’t remove the fact that God has placed them in your life. Don’t let the pride in your heart keep you from being blessed through your spiritual leaders. Deal with that pride and be set free.

Prayer and Confession
My spiritual leaders are worthy of double honor. Because I am a honourable disciple, I walk in honour towards my leaders. Pride will not keep me from being blessed through my spiritual leaders.

Further Readings: Hebrews 13:17, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Thess 5:12-13.