The Pastor's Pasture

Is there a snake in his grass like the serpent in the Garden? Does it have dangerous weeds that choke the beautiful plants and flowers or poison in the fruits and vegetables like the evil in the forbidden tree? Or burning weed, the smoke of which people are getting "high" on? If human beings are the imperfect, short-fallers of the glory of God through disobedience and weakened flesh, should those feeding in a pastor's garden be wary and watchful of the diet they are being fed and feeding on? There is no doubt that those who deliver the Words of God, at least those with a godly heart, are honorable, but yet imperfect, MEN (and Women) of God. But are they the perfect SON of God?

(Recently discovered scripture as support...Jeremiah 23:1)

If it is universally agreed amonst Bible believers that, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" and that includes the men and women of God who deliver the Words of God, or feed the sheep of God, then is the bread we are fed, the seeds that are sown within us and the water that we drink from our pastors imperfect as well? Can we assume that imperfect men and women are capable of delivering a perfect message?

"Peace....be still", as the Lord Jesus once said, to those of you with passionate loyalty to your church leaders. For these questions are not intended to suggest that pastors are not to be trusted or followed. That's not intended at all. However, scripture does tell us that there are false prophets, wolves in sheep's clothing and those who are unlearned and unstable in our midst who twist the meaning of the Bible's words which is subtle in leading many astray. For this reason, are we not to be careful what we eat and very selective of the pastures we feed in and the pastors we feed from?

It is often said that "to err is human", "we all make mistakes", and "nobody's perfect". If words are how we communicate, express, denote, describe, determine, and identify things, motives, desires, will and choice then it is imperative that those words be used with extreme care, consideration, thoughtfulness, and pain-staking clarity and understanding whether given out or taken in. For if the meaning of a word is contaminated, so will the message be, so will the feeder be and so will the fed be.

Someone once said that, "the human body doesn't produce waste because it can only separate what is good from what is bad based on what is put inside of it." When we consume food or drink, our bodies break down its elements into things it will need for energy and sustenance and discard the rest as waste. Whatever we put in out bodies will either be accepted or rejected. Sometimes immediately by the north hole, or later patiently by the south hole, if you'll pardon the imagery. (Sorry. There's laughing in my head.) So if our bodies do this naturally, shouldn't we do this with our minds spiritually?

We ingest information by consumption in two main ways: by the head and the heart through the mouth and the mind. Our mouths take in natural food, our minds spiritual food. When we hear or read by ear and eye the information transmitted through soundwaves and light waves, whether it be music or words, that information enters us and the process of interpretation begins. Sometimes the interpretation is immediate, sometimes it takes a while. But whatever the timeframe, one of two reactions takes place: the information is accepted or rejected. Usually based on the pleasure or pain produced. But as complicated as we humans are, when pleasure is the measure, we love it long time, all the time, every time.

It has been often said, "we are what we eat". If this is true, then don't we have to be careful what we consume, where we consume and who we consume from? If our pastors' pastures are essenced by the imperfect men and women who feed us, then don't we owe it to ourselves to learn from our bodies and keep the good and discard the bad?

This inquiring mind would like to know.