“Easiest Job on Earth”

“That must be the easiest job on earth!”

Over the course of several years in the ministry, that phrase is what I heard the most about my job as a minister.  I am retired now, but for 50 plus years I was involved in some type of ministry in the church. For 40 years I did youth ministry, Sunday school teacher, song leader, supply minister, and Associate Minister. The last 12 years of my ministry, I served as a full-time minister. I can’t tell you how many times I heard how “easy” my job was. All you have to do is get up and talk on Sunday!

This being Pastor Appreciation Month, I thought I might tell you just a few of the things that your minister “works” at getting accomplished.  He is a guy that works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for YOU!  Believe it or not, your minister is available to you at ANY time, whether he is on vacation, home after a long day, taking his “day off”(?) or even when he isn’t feeling well.  Let me be clear, I am not trying to make it sound like your minister is making a huge sacrifice, because truth be told, most of us would not want it any other way.  In this modern time, I never turned my cell phone off. It would ring when I was fishing, when I was trying to get some work done at home even when on mission trips overseas! But you always answer, and did whatever you could at the time.  Your minister WANTS to be available to you. 

Beside being on call every day, your minister is preparing sermons (which, believe it or not, takes more than a few minutes). He is preparing lessons, doing weddings, funerals, visiting homes, and visiting hospitals. Easy job? No way! But the men who answer the call to serve have made the decision to speak the Word to those who will listen, and help to shepherd the flock they serve. The blessings God provides overshadow all the “hard work.”  Your minister is working for the reward God has waiting in eternity.

Just a thought in closing…it sure wouldn’t hurt to drop a little “thank you” on the preacher occasionally, or a “good job!” after a sermon, or even an “amen” during the sermon. Better yet, let God’s Word from the messages be reflected in some visible changes in your life. That would be the greatest encouragement your minister could ever get this side of Heaven.