“SHAMEFUL GAIN!”

1 Peter 5:1-5                                                    (ESV)

“1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of CHRIST, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

2 shepherd the flock of GOD that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as GOD would have you; NOT FOR “SHAMEFUL GAIN”, but eagerly;

3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

4 And when the CHIEF SHEPHERD appears, you WILL receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, ALL OF YOU, WITH HUMILITY toward one another, for "GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD but GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."”

Usually when searching for a passage of Scripture, I have an idea of what GOD is wanting to speak to me.  This morning as I opened the BIBLE app and it was on 1 Peter 5, and I couldn’t get past the first few verses!  Although I am almost 60 years old, considering myself an “Elder” is not a name that I feel comfortable with.  For me, the term has always carried a certain amount of respect, and I don’t feel like I deserve the Spiritual respect of being a an elder Spiritually. 

Seeing those who tie Spiritual maturity to financial gain bothers me more than just a little bit. Peter writes in his first letter various churches for elders to be HUMBLE and be an example to those in your charge.  For me, it would be awkward, almost offensive, to minister to the poor while living in a mansion in a gated community?  JESUS, our example, never owned a house during HIS 33 years of being on earth physically.  Why is it that I have a desire to build something that I will not spend long occupying and neglect my Heavenly abode?  

The term “SHAMEFUL GAIN” doesn’t adequately reflect what GOD must think about such misconceptions.  We build grand earthly dwellings with every luxury that can be imagined and hardly ever contemplate eternity?  JESUS “knew” HIS time on earth was limited to a few short years, but shouldn’t we also KNOW that?  My prayer is that the “SHAMEFUL GAIN” that some experience will be rejected for serving JESUS and HIS Kingdom!