After lunch recently, as we walked through the parking lot, my friend asked me, “Is that your new car?” pointing to a $70K driving machine. “Yeah, right,” I chuckled, pointing to my 2004 Ford Escape complete with rust spots and 120,000 miles. Oddly, I felt a sense of satisfaction as crawled into my old but adequate car. At least I didn’t have to hear the follow-up line, “We must be paying you too much.”
My wife and I have discussed this pastoralphobia much over the years. Once a friend saw her in the mall at a department store and said, “I’m surprised to see you here. It’s so expensive.” She went on to tell her about a cheaper place to buy clothes. Thankfully, Lori listened respectfully and didn’t say what she was thinking. That scenario has occurred many times over the years regarding subjects about clothes, cars, house, travel, college, etc.
Sometimes people are just joking, like my friend yesterday. But it amazed me how fast my pastoralphobia kicked in, and the satisfaction of my old car took over. Of course, sometimes people are serious.
That’s when another emotion ... no, many emotions ... kick in.
The best advice I have received on this issue was something I read years ago in a book by Joe Stowell. He made the point that he had come to grips with the fact that that his salary didn’t come from people; it came from God. God is the source of income.
That simple truth has impacted me in five ways.
- I don’t depend on people; I depend on God for my provisions.
- I have never asked for a raise in salary. I depend on God to supply my needs.
- I am answerable to God, not people, when it comes to my material stuff.
- I don’t have to live next to poverty to prove my spirituality.
- While I challenge gifted givers to give (just as I challenge gifted teachers to teach), I don’t show partiality to them. That is both unwise and unbiblical (James 2). And, yes, I have had a few big givers leave the church because they didn’t get their way or the attention they felt they deserved.
Okay, that’s some of my thoughts. I’d love to hear some pastors out there weigh in on this.
How have you dealt with this pastoralphobia?
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