Appreciation

As a contractor, I have many opportunities to see the value and effects of appreciation. Appreciation is simply defined as “the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.”

There are certain customers that I find more pleasant to work for and certain customers that I find more difficult to work for. One of the differentiating qualities is how appreciative they are of what we do for them. Even a very demanding customer is easier to work for when they regularly express true appreciation for what we have done. And that appreciation makes us want to strive to work even harder and do an even better job for them, because we all like appreciation.

Similarly, when I deal with employees or subs-contractors or suppliers, I can see a difference in how they respond to me when I show appreciation to them.

One of the more difficult, demanding and easy-to-burn-out-from jobs in America is being a pastor. A few years ago I came across this somewhat humorous description of a perfect pastor:

• The perfect pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes.

• He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone’s feelings.

• He works from 8 a.m. until midnight and is also the church janitor.

• The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books and donates $30 a week to the church.

• He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience.

• Above all, he is handsome.

• The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens.

• He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church.

• He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be handy when needed.

• The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of its committees.

• He never misses the meeting of any church organization and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched.

• The perfect pastor is always in the church down the street!

Well, that is kind of funny but it is funny because it hits close to home. We do expect a lot from our pastors and yet they are imperfect just like the rest of us. However, God has called them to a life of full-time service to Him that sometimes does not provide a lot of earthly reward.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 says, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.”

It is the start of a New Year and in this New Year, let me encourage you to express lots of appreciation in general, and in particular, express appreciation to your pastor and other pastors that you may know. It’s easy to do, does not take a lot of time and can be done without spending a penny.

 

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